The Blight of Middle-Earth
by De4thknight
Summary: The dwarves of Erebor accidentally dug too deep and has awoken the Darkspawn, a great threat that will come to Middle-Earth. The awakening of their master, Dumat, he has come to claim the old dwarven kingdoms and unleash his blight upon the three races of Middle-Earth. (Cancelled)
1. Prologue

(Disclaimer: I do not own Middle-Earth and its lore and Dragon Age as well, all credits goes to the creators who made an amazing fantasy world.)

Date: TA 2945

Location: City of Amaranthine (Replace Bree)

The last city of Arnor, the city of Amaranthine that was once a large kingdom but is now smaller than before long ago. This place used to be the battleground on where the Angmar War happened; thankfully, they decided to rebuild the city but smaller. This city also stand against another that came from the mountains, an enemy that they fought tirelessly against them for years until finally it ended.

Inside one of the houses lies Darrius Vael, a Grey Warden who fought and lived in the war against the Darkspawn of the mountains. He is now a veteran of the war, here to spend what is left of his days in peace until he will have to face the taint of the calling. Before that happens he wishes to spend his last days with his beloved wife and to also write everything about his adventure throughout Middle-Earth, meeting new people, falling in love with some of them, fighting Darkspawn and ending a great war. When he is finished with his story, he will pass this to his wife Leliana who will give this to their future son who will be born in a few months.

Leliana would finally return from buying some food in the market, she came in and placed the food down on the table and notices Darrius sitting there by the bench. She smiles and started to slowly walk up to him from behind, surprising him with her arms wrapped around his neck and gives him a soft kiss to the cheek, causing him to stop while he turns his head to her. Both smiles to one another then he would give her a short passionate kiss, after that he looks back to his book and so did Leliana.

"What are you writing?" She asks

"My story…" He responded

Leliana gets a little look at the book, reading a little bit until she stops when she catches her eye upon something he wrote. "Who's Iona?"

Darrius closes the book before she could read the rest of it. "Nothing…."

"Darrius..."

"It's nothing, I promise you…. Just writing up on everything I have done on my adventure…"

"Alright…" She was about to turn back but she looks back to him, she smiles while placing her hands on his shoulder then whispers something in his ear. "Try not to add ALL the details about that adventure we did together…" She gives him a little bite to his ear before backing away from him.

"…." He turns back seeing her walking away with a smile on his face, when he looks forward he covered his ear with his hand, smiling a bit but he gives himself a slight slap before opening his book. He opens it back up, takes out this feathered pen out, placing the point of it through this bottle of ink, and finally begins his story.

It began long ago in the lands of the far east, over the mountains and past the great forest lies the greatest kingdom ever built upon Middle-Earth today, the great dwarven kingdom of Erebor. This great stronghold ruled by Thror, the king under the mountain, the mightiest dwarf lord of the mountains.

Erebor was built deep within the heart of this mountain, inside was a giant labyrinth that stretch miles down to its core, the dwarves built this place well to make it a legend. This beauty of this fortress itself was unlike anything you have ever seen before. Its wealth lay within the earth of the mountain, from emeralds to sapphires, to rubies and diamonds, its wealth and treasure would run through this kingdom like river through stone.

The dwarves with their amazing materials they mined to create magnificent objects of pure beauty, ever they delved deeper within the darkness of the mountain, where they will eventually discover what really lies in the core of Middle-Earth. This is where they find it, something that they have never seen before, it was not any riches or any gemstones that lies in the heart of the mountain. Here, deep within Erebor is where they will find something no one in Middle-Earth has ever seen before. The Darkspawn.

The Darkspawn came upon the people of Erebor, caught the dwarves by surprise to see so many rushing through like hordes of goblins, the Darkspawn was to become the next threat to this world. The Darkspawn was not the only threat that came to the dwarves; they brought in a blight with them, causing a short pandemic while they battle against the dwarves. The dwarves were caught by surprise yet again, having their forces and people infected by this pandemic inside the mountain and that got the Darkspawn the chance to swarm across this kingdom, killing everyone in their path and bringing more Darkspawn out of the caverns.

King Thror would seal himself in his treasure room; with his lust for gold, he would not lose his treasure to the blight. Thorin would rally the dwarves, bringing many non-blighted people onto battle to push the Darkspawn back, pushing them back into the dark depths of once they came.

The dwarves rallied to Thorin and pushed the Darkspawn out of there, but once they see what lies inside the caverns, the dwarves would be defenceless when fighting a dragon. A great beast that has been underground for thousands of years, probably during the time of the First Age, the dragon known as Dumat the Archdemon, rose out of the caverns of where the Darkspawn came through. He came ramming through the dwarves as if they were nothing, pushing Thorin and his forces back and causing a serious retreat when the Darkspawn came back out and joined the Archdemon on its assault across Erebor.

King Thror was not going to abandon his treasure; he stayed at the front door striking Darkspawn after Darkspawn until Thorin dragged him away, unable to protect the gold from the Darkspawn army. He dragged him away until he finally sent him to the gate, pushing him out of there while he tries to help the rest of his people escape the blight of the Darkspawn.

The Darkspawn defeated the dwarves of Erebor, which lasted for three days; the blight has come upon Middle-Earth. The Darkspawn has conquered Erebor from the dwarves, making the survivors flee in fear while the dragon takes the throne and their home. Thorin and king Thror had nothing left, the only place near here was Dale where they will take refuge there for now, preparing a defence knowing that the Darkspawn will come rushing out of their kingdom.

Elsewhere in the left side of Erebor on the large mountainside lies an army that was here to challenge the Darkspawn, it was the king of the Woodland Elves of Mirkwood named Thranduil. He approach the edge of the cliffs, looking down seeing the dwarves fleeing in fear from the Darkspawn, seeing Thorin calling out for help, pleading for the elf king to help take back Erebor but in the end he only came here to watch.

King Thranduil did not come to aid with the dwarves; nobody else came to fight the Darkspawn but what Thorin did not know is that Erebor was not the only place where the Darkspawn lives. The Darkspawn has heard the awakening of the Archdemon, the dragon Dumat has called upon the Darkspawn to rise out of the caverns of the lost dwarven fortresses of Middle-Earth. They rose out of the lost kingdoms of Moria and Gundabad, bringing the blight and the slaughter to the races of men and elves.

The lands of Lórien was next to be attacked by the Darkspawn of Moria; they attacked and swarmed over their lands by surprise. The elves were next to be targeted and that is why Thranduil abandoned Erebor and went to Lórien, to fight with the elves to push the Darkspawn back but the blight has already consumed some parts of the lands of Lórien, already corrupting the forest and bringing the elves into a fight against a new enemy.

Elsewhere in the lands of Arnor where the city of Amaranthine stands, replacing the town of Bree. The Darkspawn from Gundabad launches their attack upon the lands of Arnor; they spread across the city of Amaranthine, to the fortress of Vigils Keep and all the way to the Shire. The Darkspawn almost succeeded on destroying Amaranthine however, the elves of Rivendell and the rest of the Dunedain fend off against the Darkspawn. The war in Arnor lasted for a while until they finally driven them back long ago, destroying the Darkspawn at the Battle of Weathertop.

This is to become the new age for the three races and the age of the Darkspawn that has come upon Middle-Earth, the day when a new enemy came upon this land and has declared war upon everyone. This new enemy will not be like what Sauron and his forces of orcs were before, this time the Darkspawn serve only the Archdemon that dwells in the mountains, this was to become the day of reckoning upon Middle-Earth. The Guardians of Middle-Earth are also struggling to protect their lands and borders from the blight, unable to find a way to defeat them and cleanse the blight but eventually they do find a way, a plan that they can use to destroy the blight and the Darkspawn.

This is where it all began, this is here is where the Grey Wardens are created.

[TA 2941]

In the town on the lake where the sun rises and half of the summer has gone by, inside this town is where two people will have their fates change by the blight when the enemy arrives at the front doors of Lake-town.

One of the anglers arrives at the docks of Lake-town, approaching the entrance with this large boat, having a few barrels with loads of fish inside of them that reached the top of it. The man who would bring the food to the people of Lake-town, the only obstacle in his way is getting his boat through the entrance and inside the town before the authority tries to confiscate the fish.

The gatekeeper would fill in the details in a document and accepted the boat inside Lake-Town, all he needed to do is lend the note to the fisherman but just when he lend his hand out to lend it to him, he was stopped by someone who grabbed his hand to the side. Alfrid, the servant to the Master of Lake-town comes forth and interrupts the deal.

"Well well… If it isn't Bard."

"Alfrid…"

"Looks like you're trying to persuade the gatekeeper to sneak into the town without paying for the toll."

"I didn't bring my money on a fishing trip."

"Well that's a shame…" He started walking onto the boat, looking at the barrels of fish. "And yet somehow you manage to catch all of these fishes…" He turns back to him "In just two hours?"

"Oh come on Alfrid Have a heart for once. There's people in this town that needs to eat."

"Yeah well last time I heard you're a bargemen…" He turns to him "Not a fisherman." He starts walking off the boat "The fish here are illegal."

"This town is struggling Alfrid, are you really going to dump all of this fish into the lake?"

"Well…" He turns back to him "Since you can't pay for the toll, I'm sure we can do an equivalent exchange." He takes a few steps back away, allowing the four guards to stand in between him and Bard. "Take one of the barrels."

Bard steps forward, stopping the guards from taking a step onto the boat. Bard plans to protect the food he has now for the people, even if he has to stand up against the authority here. The guards would not stand for this intimidation from Bard, they were about to draw weapons but someone came through to interrupt this whole mess.

"Is there a problem here?" The woman spoke out, causing everyone to turn their heads towards Aveline who is the captain of the guard of Lake-town.

"It's none of your business, captain." Alfrid said

"I am the captain of the guard here Alfrid." She said when walking up to him, standing in front of him to show how serious she is. "It's my business to watch over the security of Lake-town and what my men do here." She turns her head to the guards while they look back to her "Go back to the barracks."

Alfrid looks back seeing the men he called for this task would abandon him here with Aveline, Bard was relieved to have Aveline here right on time and caused Alfrid to take a few steps back for Aveline to nod her head to the gatekeeper. "Open the gate!" The gatekeeper called out, getting one of the guards to start opening the gate.

"You may have the captain of the guard and the people in your favour Bard!" Alfrid calls to him while he sails in "Just remember, we know where you live."

"It's a little town Alfrid." He said "Everyone knows where everyone lives."

Alfrid looks back to Aveline "This isn't over." He turns back and takes his leave

Aveline sighs relieved when he finally backed away from her, after that she can finally take her leave while Bard sails right on through into the heart of Lake-town, there he will find an area where he can dump all the fish and retrieve a handful of gold. He takes his leave from that boat and started making his way to his house, walking through the town like it was a maze but he knew where he was going. At halfway he meets up with his son Bain at halfway, hugging his son as it has been a while since he saw him, he would do the same thing when he returns home to see his two daughters waiting for him.

Elsewhere in the main structure where the Master lies, sleeping in his mansion that stands as the tallest structure in this whole town. Here is where the lust of gold lies as the Master lives with all that gold underneath his bedroom, where he cares for the gold that dwells in this town and keeps it to himself. The Master will not part with a single coin. Not one piece of it.

Very soon, Alfrid comes through the door to awaken his Master of Lake-town by interrupting his sleep by opening up the bedroom curtains right up just to bring forth the light upon his room. Force to awaken the Master form his sleep, seeing him being blind by the light even with his eyes closed, knowing that this is the time for him to get out of bed and eventually he would come slowly moving off the bed while Alfrid stands there waiting for him to do so.

When the Master comes walking off the bed, feeling a bit shaken as it's getting cold in his room. He sits at the front of the bed looking at Alfrid, asking him to bring some brandy over even though he just woke up.

"Things are coming to a change sire." Alfrid said while pouring in some brandy into this glass "It's the mood of the people, sire, it's turning ugly out there."

"Well what do you expect Alfrid, they are commoner folk here." He turns his head seeing him walking up with the bottle of brandy and his glass. He quickly grabbed the glass and started drinking half of it inside the glass.

"Well there's been talk of an election."

The Master gets up off the bed when he said that "An election? Ha!"

After he got his proper clothes on he started leaving that room and made his way into this library area with the glass of brandy in his hands while Alfrid follows him from behind, continuing the conversation from here while he walks over to the end to this table full of scrolls and wine. "Don't be ridiculous Alfrid, not while I'm here."

"I don't think they would care if you were here or not, sire."

Just as the Master finished his glass, he begun to fill it in by himself with another brandy nearby on the table, filling it up to the same height as before. "It's the work of that…. Bard."

"Well he is married to the captain of the guard, sire."

"That trouble making bargeman." He said while taking his leave from this room, making his way outside on this balcony that shows the large view of Lake-town. "He has the authority and the people on his side, but mark my words he will get what's coming to him."

Later that night, Bard and his son and two daughters comes together by the table in their house, having Bard and the older sister deliver the food to the others, placing the plates down on all sides of the table before they sat down. Very soon, Aveline would come walking through, opening up the door and causing the younger sister to get up to greet her with open arms.

"Hello Tilda." She said to her when letting go of her

"You're here early." Said Bard while he has his back towards her

"Hello to you too, love." She said while walking up to him, giving him a kiss on the cheek before walking to her seat to sit down with her younger daughter sitting down next to her.

"How is the watch?" Bard asks

"So far so good." She responds looking down at the food he and their son brought "But there has been some tremors coming from the mountain."

"Is that bad?" Bain asks her

She smiles softly to him "Everything will be fine."

"That's not what I'm worried about." Bard said, turning his head to her and got her to look back to him "What of the Master?"

"You shouldn't worry about him; it's Alfrid that's the problem here." She leans forward on the table, placing her right arm on the table "This is the second time that I was force to get you out of jail."

"And what happens if it happens the third time?"

"Then you would have to find out then." She leans back on her seat, getting her arm off the table.

Just when they started eating, they did felt another tremor, causing some dust to fall from the ceiling but not on the table though. This got all of them to look up for the moment, hearing that tremor that only lasted for a second, once it was over, Tilda looks to Aveline with a worried look but Aveline didn't worry about it.

"Don't worry about the tremors, they will be gone eventually."

"I just hope your right." Bard mumbled to himself, getting Aveline to look back to him but not saying a word to him.

Later on when they finished eating, Bard and Aveline took them to bed while they stayed up for a little longer. Since it was a peaceful and quiet time at night, Aveline was in the bedroom opening up a window to look out at the view of the town while Bard just finished checking on the girls then came up to see her.

"You're worried about me aren't you?" Aveline asks when Bard entered the room, having her head turned to the side while her body was facing the window.

"There are somethings that I'm worried about."

"Am I one of them?" She turns back to face him, leaning her back against the window and crossing her arms.

Bard would walk up to her "I'm worried about what's going to happen when the Master removes you as captain." Once he got closer, he moves his hands to her waist, getting her to lower her arms and move them back against the bottom of the window.

"Then maybe it's the right time for you to do something in your life." Aveline said "Are you finally going to take the Master's place?"

"We have already been through that." He lets go of her

"I'm sure the children would want that, I think everyone would want you to be the next ruler of Lake-town." She moves her hands forward, moving her left hand to the side of his face "Just what are you waiting for?"

Bard closes his eyes when he felt her hand touching his face; he then moved his right hand over her hand and opened his eyes looking back to her again. Very soon, his eyes would turn elsewhere to the side, looking at the view of the night, noticing something that is in the far distance that caught his eye.

"What is that?" Bard said looking towards this flying looking object.

Aveline turned around to see what Bard was looking at, noticing this large bird in the sky heading towards them and it is getting bigger when it gets closer to the town. "Is that a….."

A great flying beast flies across this quiet and beautiful night, a beast that no one has ever seen before for a long time now, a great High-dragon blighted by the taint, becoming the Archdemon of Erebor. It flew across the land, away from Erebor and coming straight towards Lake-town, since this town isn't really fit to fight a dragon there is no way they can stand against the fires of this great beast.

"It's a bloody dragon!"

"We got to wake up the kids!" Bard said and turns back, quickly running out of the bedroom with Aveline looking at the dragon for the moment but she went after Bard.

The dragon flew high in the sky but once it got closer, it dived down until it was in its range. It began to breathe in the fire in its belly, ready to unleash a great inferno across this town, when closer it sends forth these purple flames upon the town. This beast exhales fires through the town until it reached the other side, making this long flaming line across the town and burning everyone caught in the flames.

The town was in crisis when the dragon attacked, burning many people and sending everyone out of their homes to see what is going on. The flames did not hit the household of where Bard and Aveline live, giving them time to quickly wake up the children and get them out of their beds. They needed to make their escape, knowing this dragon is going to come back with another attack; they would have to go down to the bottom of the house, take a boat and get ready to sail out of the dragons attack.

The whole town was in chaos and not everyone knew what to do, knowing that the dragon will soon come for another attack, which it will, bringing fire upon this town again and burning more people and buildings to ashes. With this as a state of emergency, the Master quickly needed to abandon the town, taking all of his prize possessions and fleeing in a large boat under the mansion before the dragon comes back. Very soon, everyone would do the same thing, quickly packing up and escaping before the dragon comes back again, not knowing that this here is just the beginning of its wrath.

With the Archdemon here upon Lake-town, that would mean that the Darkspawn is also here as well. Thousands of Darkspawn would be here to finish what its master has started; making things worst for the people as they come charging over this long bridge, making things harder for the people. The Darkspawn sprints over this one-way bridge, making their way into town and began the slaughter of the people while the dragon flies around to spectate above the town. The Darkspawn will overrun this whole town, slaughtering every single person in town and the guards could not do a damn thing about it.

This town being lost to a matter of seconds, everyone needed to abandon it by going on boat to flee; it was the only way out of this town since the Darkspawn have taken the exit. Bard and Aveline are trying their best to protect their children from the Darkspawn, having Bard drawing out his bow and loading an arrow ready while Aveline and Bain was busy rowing the boat out of here. Very soon, the younger sister would scream when seeing this monstrosity running down this small pathway heading towards them, quickly getting Bard to fire his arrow and getting his arrow running through one and sending it through the head and hitting the other one behind it.

"We have to leave, now!" Bard said, taking out another arrow and looking around to see if there is any more Darkspawn coming.

"Up there!" The older sister points out to the roofs in the distance, seeing three Darkspawn up there armed with bows.

Bard quickly took aim and fired at one of them, hitting the chest and sending it collapsing off the roof and crashing into the water. The other two would fire towards him, one would miss but the other one was coming at him. Luckily for Bard, Aveline rose up on the boat and held her shield forward to block that attack, not going to allow her husband to die here and now.

Elsewhere the Master was in a hurry on his boat full of gold, having Alfrid by his side and four guards rowing the boat and another man standing at the front of it with his sword drawn. They plan to get out of here, not taking anyone with them due to this boat already crowded with gold from the Master's chambers.

"I wish we can take some of these poor people with us." The Master said

"There not really that valuable here sire." Alfrid said "Besides there's not enough room to –" He notices a man in the water trying to crawl his way on the boat. Alfrid went and kicked him in the face, kicking him off the boat while they keep moving.

Elsewhere back with Bard and the others, they held position under another building just to wait for the dragon to come flying past their heads. Once cleared they quickly made a move to the open, with Bard only having one arrow left he was ready to use it well and that is when more Darkspawn appear attacking the citizens. Four of them just killed the parents of the two kids who are running for their lives, unable to save them they would watch as the Darkspawn cuts them down in the back and very soon, they go charging towards them on the boat.

"We don't have time for this!" Aveline said

Bard took aim seeing that he only had one arrow and was not enough to take them all out at once, with him hesitating to fire he lowers his bow and looks back to Aveline, seeing her sword still in its sheath on her waist. He quickly acts in a rash decision that will get them all worried, first thing he does is looking back to the Darkspawn and fired his arrow to pierce through one of them, he then drops the bow and quickly crouches down to grab Aveline's sword.

"W-What are you doing?!"

Bard drew out her sword and got up "Saving my family." He then jumps off the boat, landing on the pathway

"Bard no –"

"Dad!"

He runs towards the Darkspawn with that sword, he swings down at the one in front of him then kicks it back against the others, one of the Darkspawn would run around it but he clashes against its sword. Bard slides his sword upwards against that grunts sword, swinging upwards and beheading it and sending that grunt into the water.

Bard looks back to Aveline "Get them out of here, now!" He looks forward and defends himself against another grunt.

"Dad!" Tilda shouts to him

Bard punches another Darkspawn before looking back to them "Go!" He then looks forward and clashes against that very Darkspawn he punched.

"We have to go." Aveline said

"But what abou –"

"Don't worry about him!" She shouts "He will be right behind us, now let's keep going."

Bard stays and fights off against the Darkspawn and giving them time to row out of there, getting the Darkspawn to fight him and not go after his family. While they keep moving, rowing away from the fight and Bard would soon give chase after he's done here, running after them and watching their back just in case. They are so close of seeing the wide open waters, they just need to keep going but that is where the Master and his boat comes clashing against theirs, causing Tilda and Sigrid to panic when they almost felt like their boat was about to flip. The Master and their boat would try to continue going, seeing that they are carrying too much weight and causing the gold on the side to go falling into the water.

"Blast these confounded people… Look at my gold!" He shouts "All my gold!"

"Were carrying too much weight…" Alfrid said "We need to dump something!"

The Master slowly turns his head to him with a slight smile on his face and nodding to himself "Right you are Alfrid." He gives him a push in the back, sending Alfrid to gasp when falling off the boat and into the water while they continue rowing out of here.

Soon Aveline and the family got the boat back in line and moved behind the Master's boat while he keeps rowing out of here, wanting to be the first to escape. Bard would just run after them until he gets delayed, seeing two Darkspawn preparing to take aim at his family, quickly pushing one into the water and using his sword to stab it through the side of the chest. Once it was clear, he looks back when he heard the roar of the dragon, seeing it heading straight towards them while letting off another line of fire from its first attack upon the town.

"No…" He mumbled to himself then looks back to Aveline "Get out of there!"

Aveline looks back seeing the dragon almost upon them, with no time to avoid this she tried to use herself as a shield to protect her children. Just when the dragon came, it did not target them and instead it past them to the side, burning all the buildings on their right, having them time to make their move. Everyone was relieved but the Master on the other hand kept going, seeing they are home free from this attack while Aveline and Bain started rowing out of here from behind them.

Bard would soon strike down one more Darkspawn before looking back, leaving his sword through this one due to being stuck inside as he pierced its armour. Bard would go running after them, about to jump back on board but a sudden disaster would occur when that burning building on their right would start to collapse, unable to hold anymore, the side of it begun to break off and would go falling down.

Bard noticed it on time and looks back to them. "Aveline!" He calls out to her

Aveline looks up seeing the structure about to come crashing down upon them, both Tilda and Sigrid scream out when seeing it coming down, Aveline just tried to shield them again but that would not really work. It came crashing hard upon them, that flaming building crushed them and sent them underwater while Bard watched and gasped when seeing it.

"NOOO!" He shouts as it crashed on top of his family. He started moving closer towards the wreckage, ignoring the fact that they could be dead. "Aveline!... Bain… Tilda… Sigrid!"

His heart and body broke when seeing what just happened to them, he was frozen and felt like he was not breathing. He kneeled down whimpering, being a wreck and couldn't really get back up as he just watched as that building slowly sinks down into the water, he couldn't do anything right now but sit there and watch as his whole life shattered.

As he just lies there like a broken man, a Darkspawn captain would come walking up to Bard, wielding this large battle-axe covered in the blood of the people this captain slaughtered. Bard slowly raises his head when it looks down at him, that captain would raise his axe up high with two hands to it, ready to swing down at him while Bard lowered his head, closing his eyes as if he accepted his fate.


	2. Act 1: Erebor

The sun rises over this land as daybreak arrives over this disaster in Lake-town, the Darkspawn and Dumat annihilated the whole place, killing almost half a quarter of the populated inside Lake-town, after that they just picked up and left that town and return to Erebor. Those who have survived the blight of the Darkspawn have fled over the waters and onto the mainlands, where everyone who has survived their wrath now fends for survival.

Bard would suddenly wake up on the beach with everyone else who survived the attack on the Darkspawn, he just lies there slowly opening his eyes, feeling that he is in the afterlife but this was not a peaceful time. He could hear the people screaming, panicking in fear and chaos as they come crawling out of the water and onto the mainland, all still feel the scars on their bodies by the wrath and ruin of the enemy. Soon Bard just slowly sits up, placing his hand at the back of his head as he felt a headache for sitting up. He looks around seeing he is far away from Lake-town and soon he begins to remember, remembering that tragic accident that happen to his family. Bard just sat there looking out at the town, seeing the flames and smoke rising up into the sky, thinking back of his precious memories of his beloved wife Aveline and his children who he stayed by their side till the end.

Elsewhere, the Master made it to the coast with his boat full of gold. He made it to the land and started walking off his boat and away from the beach, ordering his men to pick up the gold and move it away from the beach and everyone else. Once everyone moves off the beach to set up camp on the grassy fields up ahead, which is when very soon they will look towards the Master to see what their plan is now.

While everyone was recovering and helping one another, a woman lending out some dry blankets for those who would really need it. Soon Alfrid who survived the whole massacre in Lake-town came rushing towards her, all soaking wet and wanted to get his hands on all of it in order for him to not catch a cold in a place like this. He used force to get what he wants, having a struggle between her and Alfrid as she doesn't want to let go but very soon he suddenly stops when looking behind her, letting go of the blanket and getting her to back away from Alfrid for the moment until she slowly turns back to see what he's looking at.

Elsewhere, the Master stays on the high ground looking down seeing his men picking up the gold and bringing it over to where he is. He felt relieved to see that most of his treasure made it from that attack, he would rejoice but he could not right now, because a familiar face would appear. Someone came walking up to the Master from behind, he grabbed his shoulder and caused him to turn around to face him however, just when he turned to face whoever grabbed him he got punched hard in the face. The Master would roll down the hill when feeling that strong punch on the nose, he went rolling down the hill and when stopping on the beach, he lied there covering his mouth due to his nose broken from that fist.

Somehow, Bard survived the massacre of Lake-town and unleashed the last of his rage upon the Master. In that last moment when that Darkspawn captain was ready to finish him, he ended up rolling out of the way, avoiding the attack and grabbing a sword off the ground and goes striking through the back of that captain then a stab through the back of the neck. He was not going to die here and he was not going to just crumble to pieces, instead he lets out his rage upon the Darkspawn that came charging towards him, striking them down one by one for a while until eventually, he too left Lake-town.

Bard would go walking down there, still want to deal more damage to him but one of the guards came towards him, he grabbed his shoulder, caused him to turn to him, and laid a punch to his face, sending him collapsing onto the floor. Once he was down, he turned back to him, walking up to him while the Master slowly drags himself away from him.

"Do you have any idea… Who you sacrificed to get out of Lake-town!?" He runs up to him and grabs his shirt, causing the Master to raise his hands up in front of him. "Do you have any idea what you have done!?"

Very soon, some people who were nearby saw this; they began moving towards them to see what all the commotion is. Bard having a fight with the Master while he talks and forcefully gets the Master to listen. "My wife!... My son and my daughters! You sacrificed my family just for your gold!"

The Master simply lies there frightened from the wrath of Bard, he even had problems to speak back to him "W-W-We.. We have a chance to rebuild… With what we have –"

Bard punched him across the face yet again, sending him back on the ground but he grabbed him again to lift him up a bit. "You don't care about us! You do not care about Lake-town or anyone else, all you care is your gold and nothing more!"

"P-P-P-Please… Spare me…" He plead to him, wanting to stop this madness before it consumes Bard completely.

Bard punched him yet again in the face then took out a dagger from his waist; he crouches down on top of him, placing his knee on his chest and moving the dagger upon his neck. Bard hesitated at first, showing the Master his eyes, showing the pain and unhappiness in those eyes of his; there was no happiness in those eyes, just sorrow. Bard was tempted to avenge his family from him, blaming him and showing his rage on the Master, seeing it was his fault. When he moved his dagger closer to his neck, he soon looks up when seeing the survivors of Lake-town standing there looking down at the two, feeling that his rage would dissolve and when looking back to the Master, he eventually backed away and threw the dagger on the ground.

"You're not even worth it." He said to him before stepping away from him, turning back and begun walking away.

The Master saw this as an opportunity when he looks towards that dagger, seeing he was not going to let Bard get away with what he did to him. He crawled his way to grab that dagger, getting up off the ground and was about to attack Bard from behind. Just when he tried to run at him, an arrow fired from a bow, hitting the dagger and causing the Master to gasp when he dropped the dagger, sending it falling onto the ground.

Bard turn back to look at the Master while he covered his hand that was holding the dagger, when both turn towards whoever fired that and so did everyone else, they see a ranger of Gondor standing there, lowering his bow as his shot was a success. The man was Nathaniel Howe, he and many of his Ithilien Rangers that came walking out of the bushes, approaching the coastline. Nathaniel came walking over to Bard and to the Master, stopping those two from killing each other.

Nathaniel looks at the Master for the moment while he drags himself away until a guard helps him up off his feet, still covering his face due to the blood still spilling down his face thanks to Bard who broke his nose. He looks back to Bard while he stands there, turning his head to the side to look at him before looking back to Nathaniel.

"My name is Nathaniel… I am the captain of the Ithilien Rangers of Gondor." He looks back to the rest of the town's people "Everything will be alright, everyone." He said "Were here to help bring you people into the south, away from the battlefield." He looks back to Nathaniel "If there's anyone who wish to fight against the Darkspawn, we are making our travels to the north to Dale."

Elsewhere, in the lands of Arnor, two Grey Wardens are in search for new recruits who will join them. They travel across the lands; travelling through Hobbiton and to Amaranthine and finding only one recruit and some dwarves who wish to join them on this quest. Before the whole company is complete and ready to move, there was one person that they require to bring, he was off in his own quest fighting the Darkspawn in Weathertop. This here is where I come in.

At midnight where the moon rises out of the clouds and shines over this field, a band of riders of forty all Dunedain, riding across the lands and reaching to a certain place where they will begin to dismount. They stopped close to the old tower of Weathertop, this had another name called 'Amon Sol', the same place where the people of Arnor fought against the Darkspawn and defeated them here almost twenty years ago. There has been some sightings of Darkspawn in the valley though, seeing that the Darkspawn are not organised right now and thought that maybe it's a good time to kill as many of them before they all regroup into an army.

A handful of Darkspawn, maybe fifty or more of them set up positions in Weathertop, planning this sort of ritual as they manage to capture a drake from the north, planning to turn it into a dragon thrall that will succumb to the taint and become a ghoul. The men of Dunedain found out about this, we rode out in blue robes that covered our dark leather armour. We plan to wipe out the Darkspawn and kill the drake as well. We would have to wait at the cover of the night to make our move.

The Dunedain stayed by their horses, drawing their bows and quivers off the back of them, some would bring swords to this fight and keep their bows on their backs. One of them who took his bow and sword off the back of the horse turns his attention to someone else, looking over to Darrius Vael, myself. It has been a long time since I remembered that day; I must have been twenty five years old at that time, I had short blonde hair that time and green eyes.

"You good?"

"Yeah… All good…"

"Alright then." He lets go of me and walks forward past the others until he turns back to face all of us. "Let's give it our all, we kill all the Darkspawn then we work on killing the dragon, you all with me?"

We all held our swords and bows at the ready, unable to cheer because that will get the Darkspawn to hear it. After that, we made our move, we left the horses where they are and prepare to get into positions up ahead, moving in quietly through the cover of the night to avoid Darkspawn attention. A couple of men with bows took up position and took aim towards the field, targeting the sentries standing on the edges down below the ruins of Weathertop. The rest of us began slowly moving towards the place, moving in quietly and using the archers who are in position to target the Darkspawn sentries so they do not see us, attacking them with the element of surprise.

At the top of Weathertop lies a Darkspawn who appeared different from the others, this one stood in between two Darkspawn captains that both wield great swords on their backs and both wore the same yellowish armour set. This Darkspawn walks upon the edge, looking out seeing the dragons they have captured, seeing there is not just one, but two dragon thralls that is half the size of Dumat himself. These dragons, chained up at this time, having several grunts down there standing near them.

"Our master requires more of these beasts." The Darkspawn spoke all the sudden, looking down there at the dragons while they sleep. "We are so close from reaching our goal…" He then turns back towards his captains and everyone else who stood around the tower. "Our master will finally succeed, all he needs now is the help of the Grey Wardens and we will finally be free."

While the Darkspawn stand there looking towards him, very soon the Dunedain made their move upon the tower when two rangers attacks two Darkspawn from behind. They grabbed them from behind by wrapping their left arms around their necks; one stabbed his sword through the back of it while the other stabbed his dagger through the chest. After they collapse onto the ground, three more rangers came rushing past them with their swords drawn, running in the ruins and attacking the Darkspawn. Two more grunts got themselves killed by the Dunedain before they drew weapons, the rest would draw their weapons and finally the battle began.

They clash blades right here in Weathertop just like what happen here long ago, most of the Dunedain stood here fighting against the enemy here while the others moved around the pathways underneath the ruins. I was one of them, clashing against the Darkspawn for the first time; I clashed against one of them while my comrade behind me fired his arrow past me, killing a grunt charging towards us. I swung my sword against my opponent twice before I saw an opening, I stabbed my sword through the chest of the Darkspawn then a strike through the neck once I pulled by sword out of its chest.

This talking Darkspawn struck down one more Dunedain with this strange curved sword, similar to a scimitar but more curved and round. He struck down one ranger then clashed against one until he strikes his face in, seeing that his warriors are losing against them; he decided to act now. He looked back towards the location on where the dragons are, calling out to the Darkspawn down there.

"Release the dragons!"

The Darkspawn near the dragons would hear what their commander said; drawing their swords but one of them took a hit in the back by the rangers on the hill. They came running down but they stopped when seeing the dragons, seeing them slowly waking up and rising up off the ground. This is going to get worst because they did not expect two dragons down here, seeing the grunts down there striking the chains off and releasing the dragons to do their job on destroying the rangers.

I look over towards four of my rangers looking towards the dragon when they rise up and spreading their wings. My friend who was near me took aim at one of them, he fired two arrows at the same time, hitting the neck of that dragon and causing it to screech. It retaliated by taking flight while the other one went violent, attacking the Darkspawn near it before attacking the four rangers that was taking aim and shooting at it.

"It's too late…" I said to myself while looking up at the flying dragon "They have already done it!" I then noticed that dragon thrall was ready to attack, it was about to unleash fire upon us. "Let's go!" I said to my friend, grabbing his shoulder and making a run for it to avoid the attack.

The other dragon unleashed fire upon the other rangers on the cliff, burning them alive and where I was, avoiding the fire of where I was, I could hear them screaming for a moment before they die. I tried to run out of there, looking back seeing the dragon chasing after us, it lets forth another fireball at us but we got out of there on time. We went running around the side, avoiding the flames when it comes flying past us.

"We can't hide from it." The ranger said to me, placing the arrow on his string "I'll draw its attention; you get on the high ground and jump on it."

"What? Are you insane!?"

"We have to do something… Now go!" He moves forward and jumps down to a pathway leading down the hill, crouching down and waiting for the dragon to fly over.

"Damnit…" I mumbled to myself then I looked up, seeing a grunt running down the pathway and prepare to swing its mace down at me, luckily for me my friend shot it with his arrow, hitting the chest for me to strike through it and run up the hill.

The talking Darkspawn strikes through one more ranger before looking towards the last one standing on the ruins with him, looking down seeing his fallen Darkspawn dead in front of him and so was the rangers who fought them. He looks back to him, seeing he sustained a hit on his shoulder, bleeding out badly due to that hit being deep, thanks to one of his captains. He would smile, seeing victory is on his favour, so he started moving closer to him while he stood there holding his sword with one hand to it, taking a step back.

"There will be no victory for all of you." He said to him

"Since when do Darkspawn talk all the sudden?"

"I am a hybrid; I gain the powers to control the rest of these…." He spreads his arms when looking down at the dead Darkspawn. "But I am not the only one. Soon, we will become far powerful than Dumat and his army."

The ranger moved his bleeding hand to hold his sword with two hands to it, taking two more steps back before I showed up and made him stopped. I too stopped and noticed so much death here, a fight that shows only two people left standing. I looked back seeing the two looking back at me, I held my sword forward and thought I could help but I should take out that dragon first.

"The dragons are out." I said to the wounded ranger "Can you handle this while I kill one of them?"

"Kill a dragon?" He said in a confused way "You?" He laughs when looking back to the Darkspawn "Very well, have at thee, but don't get yourself killed or I will kill you in the afterlife…"

"Stay alive…" I said to him "So that I can come back here and defeat this thing." I gazed my eyes towards the Darkspawn when I said 'thing'. I hasten up the ruin steps, running up there with my sword while my wounded comrade would have to survive against this last Darkspawn in the ruins.

The ranger crouching down below retreated when that dragon flew around the ruins while the other one soon took flight. He needed to draw its attention by firing two arrows at it, hitting the bottom of the beast that took flight and then he made a run for it afterwards. The dragon hovered when taking those hits; his arrows would feel nothing to the dragon, only an inch but enough time for me to run up to the top. I stood at the top alone; I sheathed my sword when looking down seeing the dragon floating there until it was ready to fly towards the ranger. I was scared as hell when looking down at the dragon, I was shaken up this cliff even though the wind was fierce up here, with all the courage I had left I leap down upon the dragon when it was below my feet. I jumped down and landed on the dragon, it kept flying even though I was on it but I tried to stay on. I was trying to crawl my way to reach close enough to deal a heavy kill on the dragon, I drew my sword and before the dragon could attack, I quickly dived my sword down through the back of the neck.

That dragon thrall felt that hit and lets off a flaming roar in pain, letting loose of its flame into the air while it started to go falling down out of the sky. The rangers on the ground would see me on top of the dragon, both prepare for a very hard landing on the ground.

The dragon came crashing hard through the ground like a meteor, removing a large chunk of the ground when it goes sliding through the ground. I soon fell off the dragon upon impact, rolling onto the ground while the dragon slide through the ground. I still held my sword, well what was left of it anyway; I only carried the chip of the blade and the handle while the rest of it was still lodge inside the dragon. That dragon was to be the last I would use that sword, after surviving in many battles against the Darkspawn, that kill on that dragon would finally get my sword to retire from slaying Darkspawn.

"I guess that's the end of you." I said to myself, looking at what is left of the sword. I looked up seeing the rangers still fighting against the other dragon, seeing it landing on the ground and started attacking the last four rangers. "I guess it's not over yet." I sheathed my sword then I went running towards the others.

That hybrid stood tall when he threw the wounded ranger down the hill, throwing his headless body down there while he holds it until he threw it down. He looks down seeing the dragon taking a bit at one of them, grabbing a hold of this ranger and moving its head around like a dog biting a doll.

"I am done here…" The hybrid said before he turned back and started to leave without them noticing him fleeing, not going to watch as this dragon sets ablaze across the field, burning two more rangers.

I rushed over there to help; I tried to get the element of surprise by moving behind it to try to get back on board on the dragon. I noticed it turned its head towards the last ranger, he fired one more arrow at it but that did not do any good. "Get out of here!" I called to him, seeing he is no match against the dragon.

He turned back and tried to run but that dragon wasn't going to leave any survivors here so it lets forth more fire, burning him alive right in front of me while I stood there, watching him burning until he finally collapses. I closed my eyes, turning my head away because I couldn't stand to watch my brother suffer in front of my while I couldn't do anything to help them, when I looked back at the dragon, seeing it turning its head towards me, I need to act now.

I quickly ran to the side then jumped on board, putting my foot on the tail of the dragon then jumped on, this time the dragon knew I was on and it tried to get me off when it took flight. I held on tight on the top of the beast when it flew high, I didn't even want to look down to see how high I'm going but if I don't do anything then it will be impossible for me to survive this crash. I climbed closer so I can do the same thing before, I drew my dagger and when the dragon starts flying across the field, I did not have time to stab where I stabbed before so I stabbed my dagger through the back of the dragon. That beast cried aloud when feeling my dagger piercing through its hardened skin, I pulled the dagger out and I almost flew up when it flew down but I landed back on the dragon, I was scared as hell as I thought I was going to fall. I stabbed the dragon again, this time I stabbed it closer to the back of the neck, I cut through and left my dagger inside while I hold on tight, I closed my eyes when hearing the dragons pain and could feel the strong wind blowing through me, knowing this dragon is going down for a hard landing.

I held on and I did not open my eyes because of the wind was so fierce and fast, I know that this dragon will soon to crash hard. This dragon ended up crashing through the forest, diving through the trees with me on board but I somehow blacked out on impact. I went unconscious during the impact so I did not felt a thing, I could have sworn I died but I was still alive and I was unconscious for half an hour until I finally opened my eyes.

When I finally came through, I opened my eyes seeing only a blur for a while until the light finally brought me back my sight. I was no longer with the dead dragon anymore, instead I was back at the bottom of Weathertop, sitting by this campfire with a strange figure standing nearby smoking a pipe. When I sat there slowly turning my head to him, seeing this tall man wearing grey robes and this wooden staff leaning on his shoulder and a wide looking hat lying next to him. Two options were in my head when seeing him, either he is my reaper here to bring me to the afterlife or I just met a wizard.

"Where am I?" I called out, getting the attention of the wizard.

"You're awake." He responds "Before you ask any questions, you are not dead, you are very much alive in this world, you have just been asleep for some time now."

This strange wizard turned his head to the side, looking out in the darkness as more people made their way towards us, seeing he is not alone here by the campfire. A small group of two dwarves and a man and female came walking out of the darkness and into the light of the fire, three of them sat down by the fire while this wizard stood up; probably want a report on what happen out there so he went to ask the human and the dwarf who are still standing.

I sat there with my eyes half-open, listening to their conversation as this man was talking to the wizard. "There was no sign of any Darkspawn out there." He said to him "The folk's men were right about the Dunedain attacking Weathertop at night…" He then turned his head back into the darkness, having his eyes fixed on that dead dragon. "Only this man survived the battle."

"They killed two dragons." The dwarf said when walking up to them to the side "These men were well organised when fighting these beasts…"

I finally spoke out "Who are you people?" I said to them and got all of their attention, getting them all to turn their heads towards me while I sat there looking back at them.

"He's awake?" The female warrior said, walking up to me and taking off her maroon coloured helmet and showing her face to me. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine."

"We need answers." Said the dwarf that stood next to the wizard

"Thorin." The wizard intervened, revealing his name to me. He looked towards me and walks over. "Can you tell me your name?"

I turn my eyes towards this wizard, he asked politely and since I did not have a choice, I decided to respond to him. "Darrius… My name is Darrius Vael."

"Darrius Vael…." He moves back slightly laughing at me "We were looking for you…"

"What?"

"Wait…" The woman gets involve "He's the man you want to bring with us?"

"Yes… And it seems that fate wanted you to survive this battle, your father must have been protecting you here in the shadows."

"My father?"

"Ah.. I forgot to introduce myself, you have met me before but you were only a child during that time." He lends his hand towards me, wanting to help me up. "I am Gandalf, and I have been looking for a certain someone for an adventure."

"So this is the man." The one behind him walks forward "He's the one who you ask to join the Grey Wardens?"

"Yes." Gandalf moved backwards when I decided to grab his hand, helping me get up off the ground before he turned towards him "He's the one."

He moved to the side for this man to walk over to me, drawing out the handle of my sword that he took from me while I was asleep, the same sword that I used to kill the first dragon. "I pulled out the blade of the dragon; it matches the sword you carried. Are you the one responsible for killing these two dragons?"

"Would you believe me if I said yes?"

"To be honest… Yes."

"Really?"

"Darrius… This is Duncan." Gandalf said "Commander of the Grey Wardens." He then turns towards Thorin then to the other dwarf who was sitting there by the fire. "This is Thorin and Fili." Then finally, to the woman who stood behind me. "And Mhairi."

"There's a lot to take in right now." Mhairi said "We should explain to you later, right after we get something to eat."

"Agreed." Thorin said "We haven't eaten anything for hours, we didn't even eat at Amaranthine when we got there."

"Hold on…" Gandalf said 'Where's Kili and Alistair?"

"There still out there." Thorin said "Going off for a little search around."

"Search…" I mumbled to myself, thinking back to the whole fight on Weathertop. I quickly spoke out. "When you were out there looking for the Darkspawn, did you see another one? A survivor? A one who can talk?"

"There's a talking Darkspawn?" Mhairi asks

"Darkspawn never talk." Duncan said "They never done that before…"

I hesitated at first but since they look friendly and are on my side, I told them everything I knew "He was behind all of this… I think he fled before the battle ended. This Darkspawn wore armour different from the others; he was more intelligence than the others were."

"Well I guess things just got weirder." Fili said

"We didn't find any talking Darkspawn out there." Duncan said "There's no way to find someone who is far away right now… Right now we should just get something to eat."

"Relax." Gandalf said "All will be alright, Darrius… I know that your friends have been killed, I am sorry for their losses, but the quest one were going, this is far greater than what you and your bellow rangers have been through."

"Quest?" I looked at Gandalf then towards Thorin

"Were going on a quest." He responds "To take back the kingdom of Erebor."


	3. Chapter 1

Gandalf and the others made camp here at night, discussing their plans to me with every detail as if they trust me; after all, I was to become their next eighth member of this party. Gandalf would tell me about their quest and their plans, the quest to take back the lost kingdom of Erebor.

It started when Gandalf came to Fornost, the abandon city controlled by the Grey Wardens and the Dunedain. He wanted to speak to Duncan and another Grey Warden named Alistair to join him on taking back Erebor, seeing that there is a strategy going on between Gondor and Rhun because both sides decide to use their resources to combat the Archdemon. Gandalf needs to bring a few people to join him to the east, to bring Grey Wardens and also the dwarves who wish to return to Erebor to take the throne, every other dwarf who wanted to join Thorin have their duties elsewhere in the Blue Mountains or have died in the taint long ago.

Duncan and Alistair agreed to join Gandalf, they then travelled to Amaranthine to find some recruits; there they will find Mhairi who came all the way from Rohan to join them, Gandalf also allowed to bring Thorin and his nephews Fili and Kili. Gandalf planned to bring nine people with him, only to have two people not here right now but he did wanted one more person to join him and that is I.

They plan to cross over the mountains but they need something first and they must go to Rivendell to get it. Gandalf will have to be silent to Thorin, not telling him where we are going because he still does not want the elves to help them. Right now as we eat by the fire, Duncan would explain to me about the situation of the Grey Wardens while both Thorin and Fili heads out to find Alistair and Kili.

"Joining the Grey Wardens is a big thing if Gandalf believes you will join us, our job and duty for the past fifty years is to combat the blight and the Darkspawn. This order has been struggling right now with recruits but we tried our best to increase our numbers but we are gaining few in numbers."

"Is this like a guild or something?' I decided to ask, since I have no knowledge of the Grey Wardens

"We are those who can detect the enemy's presence." Mhairi steps in; sitting next to me and holding a bowl in her left hand "We know when Darkspawn are near so we can combat them affectively."

"So all of you are Grey Wardens?"

"Not all of us." Duncan said "The dwarves are not Grey Wardens, I did ask for at least one of them to join us." He then turns to Gandalf who sat nearby smoking his pipe "But Gandalf promised two recruits."

"So you want me to become a Grey Warden?"

"Yes." Mhairi said "You manage to take down two dragons on your own, you are so qualified to join us."

"But the joining is dangerous you know." Duncan said

"Dangerous? Dangerous how?"

"I can't really tell you this now, but if you wish to become a Grey Warden like Mhairi then you would have to trust us and the joining. I can't do the joining here so we will do it at Rivendell."

"Don't worry, Darrius.' Gandalf said, getting me to turn my head towards him "I have high hopes that the both of you will be alright after the joining."

"So what do you say Darrius?" Mhairi asks "You want to join the Grey Wardens and do something in your life? Fight Darkspawn, save the world maybe?"

"Save the world?" I laughed at that "You guys are really serious on this?" I looked towards Duncan then to Gandalf "All of us is going to the mountain, to fight the Archdemon and an entire army of Darkspawn."

"There's an army of Gondor and Rhun making their trip to the mountain." Duncan said "There will also be an army of dwarves arriving later on, all we have to do is get there, join them, and then take back Erebor back from the Darkspawn."

"Both Rhun and Gondor are going to the mountain? There really serious aren't they?"

"Yes they are." Duncan said "So how about it, Darrius? Just what exactly are you going to do in your life in Arnor?"

"I…. don't know…." I look towards the fire "Although… Not sure what's waiting for me in Amaranthine anyway…"

"Okay how about this idea." Gandalf said "How about you join this company, in exchange for your cooperation, I will tell you everything I know about your father, I'm sure you would like to know little about your father and what you didn't know about him."

I sighs when I look towards Gandalf "You're going to bribe me with my father huh?"

"To keep a promise…"

"Well… Got really nothing in Amaranthine…" He looks to Duncan "Where do I sign?"

The sun rises and a new day has come to Middle-Earth, the day when I am now part of the company. I did not get much sleep after we ate because we were force to leave, making our way to a location in the woods where Thorin and the others who went to find Alistair and Kili when they travelled further away, that is where they find Darkspawn. Both Kili and Alistair held their ground, once Thorin and Fili joined them they plan to attack the Darkspawn together, surprising them and killing a lot of them at midnight.

When the sun rises, all of us regroup at the location where Alistair and the others fought the Darkspawn. There was almost eight bodies and an ogre, I was impressed that they took them down but luckily, it was not a big force like what happen at Weathertop. I stood near Gandalf when I examined the dead ogre; I then look towards the others as they check the bodies.

"They must have come down from the mountains of Ettenmoors." Gandalf mentioned, getting me to look back to him

"The Darkspawn are getting closer to civilisation." I said to him and looks back to the dead ogre

"Yes…" Gandalf looks out through the background and towards the mountains in the far distance

"They couldn't have wondered through the daytime." Duncan stated "They must have venture through night, in order to avoid detection from the Dunedain."

Thorin looks back to Duncan then started looking around the place "There should be a Darkspawn cave nearby."

"We should destroy it." Duncan said and looks to Gandalf "Darkspawn always leave caves or fissures around, if we wait any longer then they will come back swarming over this place."

"I couldn't agree more."

Therefore, we search around the area, walking over the bodies of the Darkspawn until finally me and Alistair found a cave. We called for the others to come over, we drew our swords before we started venturing in with Gandalf coming in from behind us, using his staff to create a little light for us to venture through.

"I suggest you be careful on what you touch down here." Gandalf said

Mhairi stayed outside with Fili and Kili since there is no point for them to all go down there, very soon, Alistair discovered an old barrel covered in webs and inside lies many weapons also covered in webs, probably been here for a long time. Thorin picked up a weapon and so did Gandalf, examining these swords and noticed they are from an age long ago.

"No Darkspawn could have made these…" Thorin said when examining his sword

Gandalf leaned his staff against the side while slowly drawing the sword he wields "And not from any smith either… They were forged by the people of Gondolin, the elves of the First Age."

Thorin looked at Gandalf when he mentioned the elves, he scowls when he was about ditch the sword back into the barrel but Gandalf stopped him before he thought of it. "You could not wish for a finer blade, Thorin."

As we look further within, Duncan discovered a dark deep hole that could lead further underground. He held his sword ready when looking through there but he couldn't see a thing, he looked back to Gandalf to call for his assistance while myself was behind Thorin looking at the sword that he drew from its sheath. I was about to take my leave when there was nothing else here; just when I did I ended up stepping on something that got my attention. I looked down seeing this weapon lying there; I moved my foot to the side to remove the dirt away from it so I can get a look at it, seeing only the handle of the sword. I ended up crouching down to pick it up off the ground, I stood back up and notices it's a long sword in its sheath and it doesn't look like it was made by the elves.

"We should move." Thorin said when he started taking his leave from the cave, bringing out two regular looking swords so he could give them to Fili and Kili.

I looked back seeing Duncan and Alistair taking their leave from this area while Gandalf stands by the cave, watching him hitting the ground with the bottom of his staff and caused a short tremor inside the cave, causing everyone to hold for the moment as Gandalf breaks the support from above this tunnel. The top of the tunnels began to break and comes crashing down to cover up the whole tunnel, getting Gandalf to move away before the smoke comes blasting through where they are and quickly got them out of the cave just in case the whole place collapses.

"That will give them a long time for them to dig that all up again." Thorin said and looks forward "Let's move."

"Hey I thought Duncan was in charge?" Alistair said and follows Thorin from behind

"Does it really matter?" Mhairi follows "I don't really care who's in charge."

While everyone was walking out of there, I looked back to the sword I picked up off the ground. I slowly drew this sword, seeing it's cyan coloured sword with markings on both sides, getting the attention from Gandalf when he still stood here looking towards me, getting a glimpse of that sword I wield in my hands.

"Starfang…" Gandalf mumbled the name of that sword, getting me to turn my head towards him.

"Pardon?"

"That sword is Starfang…" He walked up to me, looking down at the blade of it "It was forge by the Numanorean, the men of the west."

I looked back of the sword, astonished to pick up a blade that has was once belonged to the great civilisation of men. "Numenor…"

"It seems that this sword was meant for you, Darrius Vael." Gandalf then turned back, heading through the bushes to re-join the rest of the party.

I quickly sheathed this sword and went running after Gandalf, regrouping with the company as they come wondering out right into the open, onto this wide-open field that stretch from miles. With an all set and ready to go, they all began their one line walk across these lands to reach their destination, giving Gandalf and myself ready to discuss something that he was supposed to answer.

"So you knew my father?" I asked him when I started walking by his side "You said that you will answer any question involving my father."

"Indeed… Your father was, a very cunning man. He fought against the Darkspawn and died at Weathertop, it was his idea to defend Weathertop against them and thanks to him, the lands of Arnor was spared thanks to his heroic."

"I already know the story…" I said to him "My father led five hundred rangers to Weathertop and held off against the Darkspawn army there, he died out there and gave the dwarves and elves time to counterstrike against the enemy."

"So you heard…"

"But I want to know how you know me; I have never met you before in my life so why are you looking for me."

"Because, Darrius Vael." He looks down at me "I met your father and gave him a promise in the Shire."

"The Shire… I haven't been to the…." My eyes looked away when thinking back of a time long forgotten, a time when I still remembered his father. "That was…"

"I believe you were only five at that time, Darrius. I came to Arnor for a little fireworks festival, that there is when your father. He brought you to this festival, to have one last time with your father before he went out to war."

"I… I didn't know…"

"Well don't feel so bad Darrius, your father wasn't fighting for Arnor, he was fighting for you to live. In the Shire I promise your father one thing, to take care of you when the time was right." He shows a slight smile on his face "I know you will succeed in the joining."

"Hey at least you had a father." Alistair intervenes while still walking so he can stay in front of both Gandalf and myself "I can't remember the last time I met my mother and father."

"You were abandoned?" Mhairi looks back to Alistair while still walking in front of him

"Well… Yeah…. I was living in Rohan for a time until I joined an order of Templar's from Isengard, I was close from joining them but Duncan arrived…" He looks towards him "He got me out of the Templar's and I went to Arnor, to join the Grey Wardens at Fornost."

"I didn't know you were in Rohan."

"What are the Templar's?" I intervened, hearing the Seekers now after all I have never ventured out of Arnor and only know little about the other lands.

"The Templar's are similar to the Seekers, both are a created order whose job is to maintain order from the kingdoms." Gandalf explained "There leaders are the Knight Commander Aldren and Saruman the White, the leader of the wizards of Middle-Earth."

"So there are more wizards out there?" I asked again

"Yes, Saruman is the wisest of all the wizards, there is myself and the two blue wizards… I cannot really remember their names though; I do remember they travelled to the far east. The last one of is Radagast the brown."

"Hmmn…"

As the company continues moving across this field, Duncan ended up taking the lead while Thorin was behind him, both Fili, Kili stayed behind Thorin, and Fili wanted to ask something to Thorin, since it will be a while before they reach their destination across the land.

"I could have wished we brought more dwarves with us on this quest, there's a lot of them who would really want to see home again."

"I wish they did come with us." Thorin said "Dwalin wanted to accompany me on this, but the Legion of the Dead need him the most."

"So there really planning on taking back Moria?" Kili asks

"Yes… Dwalin and the dwarves of the Blue Mountain, they plan to march to the front gates of Moria and take it back."

"You dwarves should not be targeting Moria alone." Duncan said as he heard their conversation, he simply keeps walking and does not his head to them. "You should at least being the help from the elves."

"Do you honestly think the elves would join us? They only care about themselves."

"I have heard the whole relationship between the dwarves and elves." Duncan said "But you should not blame the elves from abandoning Erebor, they too suffered from the blight as well."

Thorin sighs "The elves do not care about us, they surely will not help us this time."

"They will help us, Thorin." Duncan said "Or else we won't be able to learn about the map."

Thorin stops "Do you honestly think, I would go and seek out the elves after what happen?"

Duncan looks back "Just remember that it was us who wanted to go to Erebor in the first place. You and the others came just to help us, wherever we go is up to us and if you don't like it then find someone else who will read the map."

Thorin stood there watching Duncan leading and having the rest of the company to continue moving while Thorin stayed; only Gandalf stopped and looked at Thorin when he looks back at him, not saying anything to one another and got Gandalf to walk away. Thorin and his pride was the only thing stopping him, but he would be force to do anything in order to reach Erebor, after that he finally moved forward.

"You dwarves… Really do hate elves…" I asked Kili and got him to look back to me while we walk; I had to ask since I wanted to know the truth about the two cultures at war.

"I wasn't there but…" He looks forward and looks over to Thorin "I heard the elf king, watched as Erebor was in flames. Thorin wanted their help but they looked away, abandon us to fight the Darkspawn on their own."

"So it's true then on what he said…"

"It also got worse." Mhairi intervenes "After Erebor fell, three days later the Darkspawn rose out of Erebor and attacked the city of Dale."

"The city of Dale held off against the Darkspawn for a day." Kili said "But when the dragon attacked…." He stopped for the moment, causing us two to stop as well when he looked away then slowly turns his head back to us "The Archdemon, it ate the king."

"…."

"Oh… That's…" Mhairi looks back towards the company; her mouth slightly opened as if she was going to say something. She could not find the right word in her mind; she decided to head off after them.

"Do you honestly think… We can take back Erebor with what we have?" I asked Kili before we went after them, I looked back down to Kili seeing him looking back up to me, he didn't say a word and just turned back and started returning back to the others.

After that whole conversation, we all said nothing after that; we kept walking past this open field and eventually Gandalf stopped. He looked around this wide view, looking around feeling as if we are either being watch or something is amiss. Thorin walks up to him to see what is wrong, Gandalf looked back to him and got his eyes glazed towards something behind us that got us to turn to see but there was nothing there. All of us were confused; it as if Gandalf was looking at something while we see nothing, eventually we will discover that it was something that Gandalf was looking for in this field.

"What exactly are you looking for?" Thorin asks but got no respond, seeing Gandalf walking back "What are you doing?" He asks again then started to follow

"Are we lost?" Alistair asks and looks to Duncan, he then looks to Gandalf when seeing him walking towards this large rock

"You all coming?" Gandalf looks to the company before standing on the side of the rock, looking down towards this small hole that was hard to see. He ends up being the first to jump down here, causing us to go running towards his location as he lands to the bottom of the hole.

Thorin made it there and looks down seeing Gandalf waiting for them. "What are you doing?"

"Shortcut." He turns away and walks out of his sight

"So I guess follow the leader then?" Mhairi asks when walking up there next to Thorin, looking down the burrow and decided to jump down there, sliding down the side of it and makes it down there without a scratch.

Gandalf stood by the side of the wall, waiting for everyone to come jumping down here. Thorin would be next to come down then Duncan, both Fili then Kili came down and of course, I would be last, having Alistair going down before I do. After that, we all disperse from one another, having Fili walking over seeing a passageway that leads somewhere, since there is nothing else in here but that passageway we all took. Thorin was the only one who did not like this at all, knowing that we are going straight into a place where his enemies are.

As they pass through this very small pathway but all could squeeze through, at the end of it they make it over this ledge where they will gaze upon this great and beautiful view. They gaze upon this amazing elven city, constructed upon the mountain with waterfalls around it; all of us paused when we gazed upon this beautiful view.

Gandalf would come forth having a smile on his face, looking out as well for the moment then speaks out to the others. "The Valley of Imladris. In the common tongue, it's known by another name called… Rivendell."

Thorin looks back to Gandalf, knowing this is going to be a problem with him. "You wanted this didn't you… To seek aid with my enemy."

"There is no enemy here, Thorin." Gandalf said when leaning forward towards him "Your enemies are far away." He then walks past him "Now leave the talking to me, or else they will never translate the map."

Gandalf and the rest of us descend the valley then pass a bridge that will lead them; there over the bridge they will see a water spraying a mist across the area. Over this bridge will be seen two elven statues carrying spears, after that they make it to a circular courtyard where we will hold position for now. We seem to be waiting for something, maybe waiting for an audience from an elven man who will come walking down the stairs, past the two elven guards who stood halfway on the stairway.

"Mithrandir." An elven figure said as he continues to descend the steps towards us.

"Ah… Lindir." Gandalf said when he walks up to him

Lindir lowers his head slightly with respect to Gandalf then moved his hand to where his heart is when he did it. He looks back up to Gandalf and responds in elven tongue. "We heard you had crossed into the valley."

Gandalf responds in English "I wish to speak to Lord Elrond."

"My Lord Elrond isn't here right now."

"Not here? Where is he?"

Lindir was about to say something however, an elven horn went off from behind and got him to turn his eyes to the side towards the bridge. Gandalf smiles when he turns back and so was all of us, seeing an elven cavalry carrying banners and spears as they come riding in in a single line. Gandalf stood back and moved next to Lindir, the elves would go surrounding the company as they stand in their way; they just circled around them until finally stopping.

"Gandalf." Elrond calls out, facing towards both Gandalf and Lindir before he dismounts from his black horse.

"Lord Elrond." Gandalf walked forward and slightly bows to him then speaks in elven "Where have you been?"

"We were tracking down a pack of Darkspawn and escorted one of our elves here." He responded in elven as well, walking up to, Gandalf and giving him a friendly hug and so did Gandalf. He backed away and looked to the side, showing he brought a Darkspawn sword "I couldn't say no to a fellow elf of Rivendell who came from Haven."

"Oh really?" Gandalf spoke in normal language then looks out to the elves that are still on their horses. "And who is the elf that made Lord Elrond of Rivendell himself to –" He stopped when he gazed upon an elf who was different from the others here.

He stood on a beautiful silver horse that almost match his silver armour, having his long golden hair back. He jumped off his horse and started walking over to them, seeing both Gandalf and Elrond bowing to him slightly while he bows back at them.

"Glorfindel…"

"Gandalf seems to know a lot of people…" Alistair whispered to me

I respond to Alistair "I am still figuring out what they are saying…"

"Hello again, Mithrandir." Glorfindel slightly bows to Gandalf and spoke in elven "I never imagine you would be here."

"Well we are in need of assistance…" He spoke normal then turns his head towards the company, having Thorin stepping forward, both Elrond and Glorfindel to turn their heads to him.

Elrond would step forward to Thorin "Welcome to Rivendell, Thorin, son of Thrain."

"I do not believe we have met." Thorin responds

"You have your grandfather's bearing. I knew Thror when he ruled under the mountain."

"Indeed? Well he didn't mention anything about you."

Duncan would step forward, standing next to Thorin. "We are here to begin the joining."

Elrond looks to Duncan then to Gandalf "So… This is why you have brought them here."

"Indeed Lord Elrond."

Later on as the sun slowly lowers down over this land, inside, the company is force to split when they venture into Rivendell, having Gandalf and Elrond walking up the steps to a dinner table with Thorin, Fili and Kili behind them to join them. Gandalf and the dwarves needed to speak to Elrond about the weapons they found and a map that they need to read. I was force to leave with the others, making our way to somewhere else so I only know little on what Gandalf and the others were discussing.

Me and Mhairi was in this circular looking summerhouse, having many openings that shows the wide view of the whole land from this place, you could even see the sun set from where we were. Both of us had to wait a while because Alistair was with Duncan, preparing the joining while we wait for them to return.

I was standing against the wall with my arms crossed, looking towards Mhairi as she goes walking back and forth because she couldn't be patient. "Do you know about the joining?" I asked her and finally got her to stop.

Mhairi turns towards me while I stand there. "I don't know."

"You joined the Grey Wardens and they don't tell you a thing?"

"They never told me…" She takes a couple of steps towards me "It looks like there's a reason why it's a secret." She then shrugs "Maybe some sort of secret joining."

"Maybe…" I look out towards the pathway that leads out of this structure, seeing both Alistair and Duncan approaching "Maybe it's something else."

Duncan walks right in with a large silver chalice that he held with two hands to it. I started walking over and so did Mhairi while Alistair steps away, when I got closer to the chalice, I got the scent of the smell that was so familiar to me. Duncan placed the chalice on the center of this round table, when I looked inside seeing blood, almost full, I looked back to Duncan who stood there looking back to me and Mhairi then I look back to Alistair who stood nearby with his hands at the back of his waist.

"What in maker's breath is this?" I asked when looking back to Duncan

"The joining. The Darkspawn has been fighting us for sixty years and we were struggling to find ways of winning, in the end the White Council discovered a way to combat the blight and that is to drink the Darkspawn blood."

"D-Drink… Darkspawn blood?" Mhairi asks

"So that is why the joining is so secretly."

"Yes… Alistair and I have been through it, it does not matter if you are a ranger, a king, a thief or a betrayer. Becoming a Grey Warden is a heavy burden for all of us to wield, and only then can we defeat the Archdemon."

Mhairi looks back down at the chalice then looks to me while I looked back at her. I look towards Duncan and respond. "And if we refuse this?"

"There is no turning back on this, besides; you said that there is nothing for you in Amaranthine anyway…"

"…"

Duncan turns to Alistair "Alistair, if you do the honours." He then looks forward while Alistair begins his speech.

"Join us, brothers and sisters. Join us in the shadows where we stand vigilant. Join us as we carry the duty that can not be forsworn. And should you perish, know that your sacrifice will not be forgotten. And that one day we shall join you."

Duncan would pick up the chalice and looks towards Mhairi first "Step forward, Mhairi."

"You actually going to do it Mhairi?" I asked her as she hesitated to pick up the chalice

She takes a deep breath then exhales "I wanted to join this Darrius." She looks to me then to the chalice "And I can't back down now." She steps forward and picks up the chalice with two hands, getting Duncan to stay where he was while she starts drinking.

Once Mhairi drinks enough she lends it back to Duncan and he takes it, taking a few steps back while Mhairi swallows every bit of that blood, after drinking so much tainted blood this is here is where it starts to kick in. Mhairi would start to feel this agonising pain from this, she felt pain from her brain and started hearing the voices, her eyes would roll back when she crouched down until finally she collapses on the ground.

"Mhairi!"

"This is not over yet…" Duncan said and looks towards me while Alistair walks past him, checking out Mhairi to see if she is still alive.

Alistair took off his gauntlet and turns her to the side, he move his hand over her face so he could feel her still breathing with her nose. "She's still alive…"

"It is your turn Darrius Vael." He turned towards me with the chalice

"Is this even safe?"

"We've been there, Darrius." Alistair said when looking towards me "I drank it, passed out, I lived."

"Yeah thanks for the confident." I look down at the chalice then to Duncan "Just…."

"There is no turning back in this."

I let a deep sighs, I felt the same way Mhairi felt when she looked at the chalice but I did remember something, Gandalf wanted me to be a Grey Warden and he knew I would survive this. After that, I picked up the chalice and I drank it, drinking the blood of the Darkspawn and quickly swallowed it while Duncan steps back. I felt the same sensational pain Mhairi felt when she drank it, what I did not expect is I will see visions of a dragon. I saw the visons of Dumat the Archdemon, all it did is letting off a dragon roar and unleashing purple flames, it felt like I was there watching it but after that it all went black.


	4. Chapter 2

It has been four hours since I drank from the taint of the Darkspawn, the taint that will make me a Grey Warden. After dealing with the nightmares at the start, I was alive and awake but I couldn't really remembered anything else after I passed out, my dreams were removed from my mind. When I awoke from my sleep, I noticed I was sleeping in this luxury bedroom with just my leathered clothes on while the rest of my gear was on this mannequin nearby against the corner.

I decided to leave my room to look around to see if everything was all right, seeing that it is still night and maybe mostly everyone was asleep but I do not know yet. I walked down this hallway, walking through a curved hallway where I will stop and gaze upon a painting that was large enough to cover the wall in front of me. This picture frame showed the king of both Arnor and Gondor, crouching down and wielding this broken sword in the air, having this light around the blade as it fights the darkness. I looked to the top right corner of the painting, seeing this shadowy armour figure trying to fight the king in battle with his mace in the air.

"Sauron…" I gazed at the Dark Lord, even though he was still a painting he still felt scary when seeing him like this.

"The Dark Lord of Middle-Earth." A female voice heard nearby, causing me to turn my head towards a young and beautiful elf who comes walking towards me "The enemy of the Second Age. The war ended at the Battle of Dagorlad where Isildur, son of the king drew his sword and slain the Dark Lord, ending the war."

"Well… I'm sure…" When I turned around, I saw this tall statue behind me. It was holding the shards of Narsil, what was left of them anyway. "The blade…" I mumbled to myself when I stepped closer to it, looking at the sword of Narsil. "This is…"

"Narsil." The elf walks closer to me "The blade that cut the ring."

"I am surprised it's not reforged."

"This sword can only go to the King of Gondor. There has not been a king of Gondor for a long time now."

"Yes I heard… But I did hear someone commanding the armies of Gondor, and a queen is soon to take that throne."

"By the way… Congratulations are in order."

"On what?"

"For becoming a Grey Warden." She turns to me "Becoming a Grey Warden is very noble of you, to survive the joining; fate didn't want you to die here."

"Well…" I frown when looking down for the moment then I took a step close to her "I'm sure fate also brought me here to meet with a beautiful elf such as yourself. I've heard many tales of the feats of the elves…"

She smiles softly "Is that so… I have heard many tales about your kind; sometimes you men are greedy like the dwarves."

I slightly laughs "Well not really… Dwarves are worse than us; we mostly fight many wars more than your kind."

"I guess so…"

"Names Darrius by the way, Darrius Vael."

"And I am Iona, pleasure to meet you."

"Is… Everyone asleep or something." I turned back down the hallway behind me then out at the windows behind the statue

"Not everyone here sleeps, but why aren't you in bed?"

"I just woke up…" I looked back to her "Couldn't sleep after what I had gone through, thought of walking around to clear my mind… But it appears that you have helped clear my mind."

"If… You like, I could show you around Rivendell, I could show you around to clear your mind from the Grey Wardens."

"Really? Sure… To be honest I never expect to be escorted by a lovely elf like you."

"You flatter me too much…" She said when looking away, I could tell she would have a smile on her face when she walks away while I follow her.

We wondered around Rivendell for a little while, mostly exploring some of the main rooms of this place, to see an amazing place like this, I never thought in my whole life I would ever see a great city like this. This will surely be the last time I will ever see it, the last time I would ever see her again in this place. After the end of this tour, we both stood at the balcony looking out at this wonderful view of the land, as the moon is half over the mountainside.

"This place is amazing." I said to her while leaning my arms on the edge of the balcony "You elves do make amazing artwork when it comes to creating places like this…"

"Thank you… This place has been here for a long time. I was not there when it was established but my mother was. I hope this stays here for another thousand years."

"How so?"

"In the future, all elves will leave Middle-Earth. All of us will travel to the Undying Lands in the west, that way we will be at peace and join the rest of the elves and everyone else that lives there."

"You're all going there?"

"Yes."

"You going to miss this place?"

"Of course I'm going to miss this place.." She looks out at the view "True there's a lot of darkness out there but we will always prevail over them."

"Amen to that."

"What about you Darrius?' Iona looks back to me, she moved close enough to move her arm against mine. "Is there anyone in your life you can't wait to return to?'

I hesitated at first but I looked back to her in a sad look, causing the mood to change when she leaned back away from me. "I don't really have anything to go back to." I responded to her question

"Oh… I'm sorry Darrius…" She looks down "I didn't know…"

"It's fine Iona…" I look back out in the open while she looks back up at me "My father… He died when I was only five years old… I cannot even remember his face now; it has been so long since I saw his face…"

"But you must have a mother?"

"She left long ago when I was born. I have no idea who she was but I have no idea who she was, but after seeing no memory of her, I could tell she died long ago."

Iona moved her hand gently to my hands; I turned my head to her when feeling her soft hands against mine as she looks back at me. "I'm sorry, Darrius… Wish there was something I can do to help."

"You… Don't have to do anything for me Iona…"

We both gazed at each other's eyes for a while, remaining silent as we finished talking. I did not know what I was thinking about this, I end up moving my right hand to the side of her face for a kiss. I knew she would be in shock but she just closed her eyes, she did not back away, she allowed me to kiss her.

After kissing her for a minute, someone of course, had to interrupt this moment "Darrius." Alistair calls out; interrupting this and got us to turn towards him "You're awake."

"Alistair… GOOD to see you…"

"Am I interrupting something?' He comes walking up to us "Duncan wishes to see you, I was going to wake up Mhairi but I saw you here."

"Mhairi is still asleep?"

"Yeah."

"Alright I'll go accompany you then…" I look back to Iona "Well Iona, I guess it's a goodbye."

"Goodbye Darrius…" She ends up giving me a kiss on the cheek "I hope we meet again someday."

"I'd like that…" I turned back to Alistair and together we walked away from her. "Thanks a lot Alistair."

"What did I do?"

Both of us went to check on Mhairi who was in the other room next to mine. When we came to her door, she came out with her armour on; she just placed her sheathed sword on her waist when she looked up towards us. She just needed to fix herself up before she follows them but before we went to Duncan, I decided to return to my room to get my gear as well before we leave.

After we got our gear and weapons ready, we all made our way towards Duncan who was waiting for them while Gandalf and the dwarves were elsewhere, Gandalf with the council members while the dwarves prepare to take their leave.

We all walked over to Duncan in an area inside Rivendell, standing there waiting for us to come over where he will begin. "Welcome back, Darrius and Mhairi."

"Thanks…"

"Is this the time you're finally going to tell me about your quest?" I asked to him

"Certainly, both of you now need to know the plan since you two have survived the joining."

"Survived?" Mhairi asks

"Wait so there was a chance we were really going to die?"

"There was a chance you will live." Alistair stands to the side looking towards us "In my joining there was four of us who took it, I alone survived it while the others…."

"Weren't so lucky." Duncan said

"Well anyways, what's all this about the quest of Erebor anyway?"

"A battle is about to take place in Erebor, the alliance can't wait any longer while the Darkspawn continues roaming freely across the northern lands. The Grey Wardens have come up a strategy with Gondor to defeat the Archdemon, the dragon in Erebor."

"So you wanted to tell the plan after we are Grey Wardens." I said to them "Just in case we die and would be a waste to tell someone who was going to die."

"There was a slight chance you might live." Alistair said "But it's more to that…"

"Gandalf wanted to come here with the dwarves so that we can read a map that Lord Elrond could read; we discovered that we now have two plans of an attack against the Archdemon if one is to fail. We heard that there is a secret passageway that leads directly into the mountain, a plan that we can sneak in undetected and attack the Archdemon, if we kill it then the Darkspawn will become immobilise and our armies will destroy them and take back Erebor."

"You plan an assassination… On a dragon…"

"You could say that."

"And the other plan?"

"In the city of Dale there is an army, a group of Ithilien Rangers from Gondor will come to the south, to join forces with a military force of Easterlings from Rhun. Their plan is to attack the Darkspawn head on, drawing out the dragon and using the ruins of Dale as a plan to trap the Archdemon and bring it down. If the Archdemon does not come out then we will have to deal with it when were inside but if we fail of course, then it is up to the army to bring down the Archdemon. There is already some Grey Wardens in Dale so if the dragon is off attacking them, it will be them who will bring it down."

"What about the Iron Hills?" Mhairi asks "Will they not join the fight to take back Erebor?"

"I ask for their assistance but they said that they won't join unless the dragon is killed. It would be best if they arrive later, because I fear against the Archdemon has only begun."

"What do you mean by that?" I asked when I took a step forward "I thought killing the Archdemon would stop the Darkspawn."

"There is a chance that the Darkspawn will keep fighting, there is also a chance that Mount Gundabad will launch an attack upon Erebor, that is why the Iron Hills should wait and if they do come then we will have an army to hold them. I also asked for the Seekers of Skyhold to join us, they might join us but I do not know yet."

"I like the plan, I really do but… What's going to happen if we fail to bring the dragon down?"

"Then the Archdemon would plan to invade the Iron Hills with the Darkspawn, then it will surely march to the south, attack either the elves or the forces of men."

Soon, Lindir will arrive at the scene to interrupt this conversation. "Duncan, Gandalf is waiting for you all."

"Guess our time is up then, let's go." He walks past and makes his way to Lindir, having Alistair following Duncan from behind then both me and Mhairi looks at one another before going after them.

I spoke out to Mhairi "Congratulations by the way." Getting her to turn her head back to me "Glad we both made it."

"Thank you, Darrius."

When they arrive to the location of where Gandalf is, noticing him speaking to Glorfindel for a while. Both turned towards the Grey Wardens and then Glorfindel took his leave, walking past the group and started returning to Elrond. Soon Thorin, Fili, and Kili also arrive, looking at Glorfindel as he goes walking past them while they keep walking towards the others.

"Where's he going?" Thorin asks

"He's going to Moria." Gandalf responds

"Moria?"

"Lord Glorfindel wishes to help the dwarves take back Moria from the Darkspawn."

"Seriously…" Thorin looks back to Glorfindel

"And you thought the elves were all about protecting themselves." Mhairi said

"They do care about themselves." Thorin looks back to the group "He's only going there because Lórien is under attack, I'm not stupid here."

"You are wrong again." Gandalf steps forward close to Thorin "He's going there because there is evil in Moria that does not sleep, it does not eat and it will rise out of the shadows in this cloak of flame."

"Durin's Bane…"

"So are we ready to go?" I asked when looking back and forth at everyone, seeing Alistair nodding and so did Duncan while Gandalf turns back

"Let's get a move on; it will take a few days before we reach the entrance into the Woodland Realm." Gandalf turns forward and looks to Duncan "Let us be off."

"We need to make it to the mountain before Durin's Day approaches." Thorin said "We can't get there after."

"Durin's Day?"

"It is the start of the dwarves new year, when the last moon of autumn and the first sun of winter appearing in the sky together." Gandalf said

"Then we still have time then." Thorin said "We will make it to the mountain, and when we do… You all have to be ready what lies inside…"

Therefore, the company sets off out of Rivendell when the sun finally rises up, the company walks over a footpath that will lead them out of the elven city. I was at the back end of the company, I ended up stopping and looking back as this maybe the last time I will ever see something like this. I stared at Rivendell for a while until Alistair grabbed my shoulder, getting me to turn my head to Alistair to let me know that we are on a quest.

They pass over the mountain and in the far distance lies trees standing upon the mountain, having them to pass through it to reach the other side. After they pass over the forest, they reach over this wide view where Gandalf will lead them over a high foothill where they will continue to walk in a line, all head forward and not turning back. They continue heading through, avoiding the pine trees on their left and heads towards the peek that lies far away, having the company set out towards the mountains where they will have to pass over a waterfall, walking up on this high pass and eventually they will reach over the mountain ridge.

They continued going as the sun rises high at the sky, eventually they will come upon the slopes of the Misty Mountains when midnight comes forth. As they pass over a high pass of the mountain, dealing with the heavy storm with thunder rumbling in the far distance, all would hold on and move slowly over the pass as they struggle to move forward. Alistair was close of slipping but thanks to me, I grabbed him just in time before he fell. I pulled him back against the wall, causing the company to stop when Thorin calls out to the others.

"There's something up ahead!" He shouts out, looking in the far distance, seeing something rising up out of the mountain.

A large boulder came hurling towards us, hits the top of the mountain above our heads, and sends what is left of the boulder to go falling down at us, causing us to lean back while the rocks fall.

"Are the legends be true!?" Mhairi calls out and stares at the large shadowy figure rising out of the shadows "Giants!"

Gandalf looks back and shouts back to her "Stone-Giants!"

This Stone-Giant picks up another boulder by ripping a piece of it from the peak of the mountain. It throws it across the field, not aiming it at the company but another one that comes appearing around the corner. The large boulder hits it in the chest, pushing it back but it grabbed on the cliffs to make it stand.

"This is a thunder battle!" Thorin shouts out then looks to Gandalf "We have to get off the mountain!"

"We keep moving!" Gandalf responds

The Stone-Giant that was doing all the throwing began to move closer, this time it was about to do hand to hand combat with the other giant, having this big skirmish right in front of us while we try to move. We watch as these giants do battle, hitting against each other but soon one of those punches would miss the giant and almost hit us. That fist hits the back pathway, causing a tremor to where we are as we hold on while the giant moves back away, showing that the pathway is now gone and must press on.

"We have to keep moving!" Gandalf shouts to us "There is no turning back!"

"Like we were ever going to turn back!" I shouts back to Gandalf

The group continued pressing on while the two giants clash against each other, one would go for a punch to the face but it ducked then rose up and head but its opponent, sending it falling back. It got worse because another giant rose up from the far distance; it threw a boulder towards the victor, knocking its head off when it looked over. One hit from that boulder knocked the head off the giant, causing it to go leaning right back then falls down into the shadows at the bottom.

"Well there goes one of them…" Alistair said as he watches the two giants moving towards each other

"Come on!" Duncan shouts "There's no time to place bets…"

"If we were betting on the giants…. I would have lost…" I said to myself, also watching the fight of Stone-Giants before looking back to the others.

Gandalf finally stopped when seeing a small entrance leading inside the mountain; he turned back towards us as we stand behind him. "This way, into the mountain." He then looks forward and went through first, having him check first while the rest of us proceed through.

All made it through and reaches this small but cosy area with sand underneath us, we decided to make camp here but no campfire is not required here. Gandalf would sit down as he sighs relieved, leaning his staff on his shoulder while placing his sword next to him on the rocks he sits on. Thorin looks to Duncan then to the others; the group make rest here for the day and will continue to move when it is clear.

"Bloody hell… Has anyone seen anything like that before?' Fili asks as he sits down

"I did not expect to see that in my whole life." Alistair said

"I never expect to wake up seeing a wizard asking for an adventure…" I said and laughed a bit, turning my head towards Gandalf as he looks over due to hearing what I said. "That's right I said it."

"Let's just get some sleep here…" Thorin said

"You know, I still think you're not in charge here." Alistair spoke out

"Does it really matter?" Mhairi asks "I don't care as long as we don't go through a narrowly place like that again."

"We might have to eventually…." Kili said

"So I got to ask…" I look over to Gandalf then to Duncan "Is this Archdemon the only one in Middle-Earth?"

"No." Gandalf spoke first "He is one of the few that has revealed itself to the world, but Dumat should be taken care of first."

"Agreed." Thorin said "That dragon has been controlling Erebor long enough."

"So there are others out there… Stronger than Dumat or something like that."

"I don't think they are stronger than Dumat… Right?" Mhairi looks to Gandalf

"Darrius is right." Gandalf spoke out, getting the attention of everyone "There are indeed five dragons out there in Middle-Earth, all of them pose a huge threat if they are to join forces with an enemy."

"There are five dragons out there?" Kili asked

"Yes but these dragons are smaller than the ones from the First Age." He looks to the side when thinking about it. "These dragons do possess the same strength as Dumat but slightly different. There are five of them out there in Middle-Earth that slumbers for now."

"So who are the dragons then?" Fili asks

"Yeah, come on Gandalf." Kili said "Tell us about these dragons, and how do you know so much about them?"

"Because I have seen many places and hear many things that are true." He looks back to the two then looks away "Quite frankly, I have only heard of three powerful dragons that are hidden from the world, the fourth one on the other hand, I am not quite sure of what happened to that one. One is Urthrimel, he lies in the southern lands below Adorn. The second is Smaug who is cage inside the dark depths of Mordor, chained up underground and has not been release for a long time. The third and fourth ones, their names hidden and I have never heard their names before."

"And I'm guessing the fifth one is Dumat?" Alistair asked

"Well of course it is." Mhairi responds "Dumat is the target for the people of Middle-Earth to get rid of first."

Fili looks over to Gandalf "You said Smaug is caged in Mordor… What's he doing there?"

"Smaug is indeed a very formidable dragon, the strongest one of all…" Gandalf mentioned "He once sided with the enemy during a time long forgotten, in the end he was captured by the alliance."

"So how come he isn't dead yet?" Alistair asked

"I do not know why he is still alive, but Smaug is a very serious beast, he is like a serial killer but yet the forces of Gondor, chained him up and left him in the dark depths of Mordor."

"At least Smaug isn't an Archdemon like Dumat." Thorin said "Or else there would be trouble."

"Indeed…" Duncan said "If Dumat never existed and Smaug would be free, he could have attacked the mountain and it could be possible for him to become an Archdemon. This would become a serious trouble for the Grey Wardens."

"I seriously doubt both Gondor and Rhun would have joined forces to attack Smaug today, if it was Smaug who dwells within Erebor."

"Well that's a good thing it's in prison…"

"But I fear that it will eventually rise up again." Gandalf said "If Smaug were to awaken and side with the enemy again, then this would become a far serious threat than what the Darkspawn is."

"But there is no enemy." I said to them "The enemy was destroyed long ago."

"You can think of that, but the enemy is out there… Waiting for the right moment to…"

This whole conversation would end when Gandalf looks down seeing the ground underneath them showed gaps sinking in, making this long line across the area and before they could act, the ground opened up as they were standing on trap doors. All of them went falling down into the abyss of what they thought, sliding down these rough rock shafts until they crash hard into a pen that was made by the Darkspawn.

"You have got to be kidding me!" Fili calls out as Gandalf was crushing him

"I've had better…" Kili laughs when pushed to the side by Mhairi due to him lying on top of her.

Alistair got up and helped me up off the ground then helped up Duncan, once everyone was all right, I suddenly felt this sense of feeling that I have never felt before, and not just me felt it because the others who are Grey Wardens sensed it. After a minute later, we all look out through the pathway ahead of us and spots Darkspawn approaching up, armed and ready to kill us.

"Darkspawn!" Thorin shouts when drawing his sword

All of us drew our weapons and rushed at the Darkspawn, clashing against them here at the pen and pushing them back with the shields of Alistair and Mhairi. Gandalf as well joined in and swung his staff around then swung his sword next, knocking them back and killing some of them. Once the company killed them all, they quickly made their move out of the pen and moved forward, knowing that more will come.

"Were in a god damn Darkspawn cave!" Alistair said

"We have to leave this place, now." Gandalf said and moves forward with his staff and sword forward, he will take point and starts moving up the pathway.

They all run forward ready to fight and push them back, they did notice a handful of Darkspawn approaching them across this narrowly wooden bridge they made, having Gandalf taking the lead as he uses his staff and sword to knock the Darkspawn off into the abyss. Thorin would be behind Gandalf, fighting valiantly against the Darkspawn as well while others continues following them from behind while I was standing at the back. I was looking back and notices some Darkspawn leaping down from above, I kept moving forward and clashed into two of these small Darkspawn the size of a dwarf, I slashed through one in the head then stabbed the other one. Another Darkspawn came down and this time it landed behind me but once I pulled the sword out of the second Darkspawn, I clashed against this one twice before stabbing it in the chest, throwing it to the side and making its head hit against the wall while I go running after the others.

"Try and keep up Darrius!" Fili shouts to him as he stayed at the back, seeing me running over to the company.

The company kept moving until Gandalf struck down the last Darkspawn, causing him to stop and look around, as there is no sign of any Darkspawn around. This worried him as they expected more than he thought, soon Duncan decided to take point and drew his second sword out while moving forward, seeing that he can sense Darkspawn are nearby but not in their eye of sight.

"How the hell did we get into a Darkspawn cave?" Mhairi asked

"There must be a way out of here right?" Alistair asked

"We have to be careful." Duncan said "If there's a handful of Darkspawn down here, then that would mean that there is a Broodmother."

"A Broodmother?"

"Something you don't want to see, Darrius." Gandalf said then looks forward "The Darkspawn are regrouping, we must leave this place now."

"And what about this Broodmother?" Mhairi asks

"We will deal with it when we find it." Duncan said

"Let's not waste any time." Thorin walks past them and heads forward with Duncan and Gandalf behind him.

The company keeps moving, heading on through this narrowly way until they would soon to see more Darkspawn ahead. Both Mhairi and Alistair stood forward with their shields forward, they would clash against them while Kili fires his bow towards them to assist. I realise that more Darkspawn are above us, when I turned back with my sword drawn I saw three of them landing on the ground, I clashed against them and got help from Thorin and Fili while Gandalf stood in the middle, asking the company to move forward.

As we keep moving forward, walking over this small bridge and seeing no sign of any Darkspawn but we do sense them nearby. I end up stopping on the bridge, looking back while the others moves on but Thorin looks back and notices me standing there. Thorin was going to call to me but suddenly he notices the Darkspawn are above us again, this time it was an ogre on the high ground.

"Incoming!" Thorin shouts, getting everyone's attention

"Get off the bridge, now!" Gandalf shouts when seeing the ogre lifting up this large boulder over its head

The ogre threw down the boulder and caused the group to run off the bridge. He and the dwarves would run the other direction when the ogre threw down the boulder and smashing the bridge, breaking our company in half as one half is on the other side and the other half is on the other.

"You guys alright?" Alistair calls to them

"Were fine…" Thorin said getting helped up off the ground by Fili "I'm fine…"

"You four stay close." Gandalf calls to them "Find another path to reach us, whatever you do, do not stop."

"You don't have to tell us that." I spoke out to Gandalf.

Very soon, the Darkspawn will appear again on both sides and was force to defend themselves here, having Duncan taking the lead he quickly clashes against the Darkspawn while myself and the dwarves held off on the other side. I knew Gandalf was worried and noticed he kept looking back towards me, knowing that if anything bad happens to me there will be problems.

As we fight valiantly against the Darkspawn, soon that ogre would come storming through the wall nearby, appearing on my side and lets off a roar towards us after we killed four Darkspawn. This ogre got our attention and it lifts up another boulder to throw at us, causing us to roll out of the way but I on the other hand was unlucky. When the ogre threw it towards us, I rolled the other side and when I got up, I quickly slipped due to being close to the edge, without noticing what's behind me I ended up falling back and went sliding down the rough rocks and eventually falling down the abyss.

I fell into the darkness while my friends are off fighting off against the Darkspawn, they try not to join me down here so they fought while all of them was shock to see me fall down there in the abyss, not sure what is down there but I bet I will be having company down there.


	5. Chapter 3

The darkness has consumed me after I fell into the abyss where I have no idea if I was going to survive down there, but somehow, I was able to live to speak the tale of the day where I found it. At the bottom of this mountain, here is where I will find it, at first I did not know about it until I now figured it out. Today I now regret that I should not have left it out of my site, because of me, I believe the enemy have gotten to it. This here is where I found the ring.

At the start I woke up after falling from above, I have no idea if my friends are looking for me right now but they will probably try to protect themselves before finding me. I do feel like some would think that I should stay behind, I could tell it was going to be Thorin who will be the first to decide that I am dead. Gandalf might be the one to go find me; after all, he did hope that I would make it to the end of this quest.

When I awaken, lying hidden in a bunch of fungi, I end up slowly getting up off the ground, feeling a few pains on my chest and legs and arms due to that fall. When I got up, I started to hear noises coming from around the corner in this small narrow way that will lead me to somewhere else, since there is nothing around, that was the only area I could go through. I picked up my sword and slowly moved forward, hearing some voices up ahead but would soon become silent.

When I pass over this narrow way, staying quiet and hidden, there I will find dead bodies of Darkspawn, all around this small around by the water where a large pointy rock lies in the center of it. The dead Darkspawn must have been here for a while, seeing maybe twelve of twenty of them all spread out across the water like they fought each other or fell from above too and weren't so lucky. I stayed where I was, looking around because I know I heard a voice and that voice would soon reveal itself to me when it comes out of the shadows, coming forth was not a Darkspawn but it looks like a goblin creature.

This little creature crawls out to inspect one of the Darkspawn that was a small one the size of a dwarf, its eyes gaze upon the Darkspawn, noticing that it is slightly alive but barely while the rest are all dead. When it got closer, this little creature looked mad when crawling around the half-dead Darkspawn.

"You filthy Darkspawn…. So filthy… Ruining our cave, precious… Ruining our cave…" The creature starts to cough twice while saying a word repeatedly "Gollum, Gollum!"

The Darkspawn moved its arms around but it was useless against this creature, the creature draws a Darkspawn dagger and impales it through the chest, ending its life here while I watch as the creature drags it away. I have no idea if this creature is friend or foe but I kept my distance, I was about to move out but the creature stopped and so did it.

Two more Darkspawn will come approaching the area where the creature are I were, I end up sliding back away just to hide further away, the creature would do the same, hiding behind the rock and waits for the scouts to walk away. These two tall Darkspawn will inspect the bodies, looking around as they walk around the water until they get closer to the creature, once they went past me I look out to see what is going to happen. The creature hiding behind the rocks, it crawls to the top of the point, holding the same dagger like it was ready to attack the Darkspawn.

I held my sword ready for a fight, knowing this is soon to happen. I watch as the creature gets high enough, it leaps down and attacks the two Darkspawn with a surprise attack. The creature stabs its dagger through the top head of one of them, leaving the dagger inside the Darkspawn as it collapses onto the ground. The second Darkspawn looks to the creature then draws its sword to attack; the creature would use a rock to defend itself to bash its head with it but this causes a little struggle between the two as I watch.

I watch as they fight but the Darkspawn is winning, it grabbed the creature, holding it against the wall but it would pull the creature back then pushes it against the wall twice before throwing the creature into the water. There was something that caught my eyes when the Darkspawn hits the creature against the rocks the second time, I noticed this little gold ring falling onto the ground; none of them notice this because they still fight. Once the creature into the water, the Darkspawn picked up a sword off the ground, the creature charges out of the water to continue the fight, it grabbed the Darkspawn and pushes it back and smacks the back of its head against a rocky point.

I continued watching until I finally came out when the battle ended; I kept my sword at the ready as I slowly walk closer towards them, seeing the Darkspawn dead on the ground with a hole through the back of the head. I stare at the dead Darkspawn then I look towards the little creature on the ground, seeing it has the sword impaled into its chest, it was still alive but barely as if it was like a bird without its wings.

The creature coughed twice before looking towards me. "Gollum, Gollum!" It stares at me for the moment with its wide eyes; it was scared and afraid to die here. It raised its hand up and points towards me, trying to say something but he could not say it. The creature would lower its arm, as it could not live anymore with that sword inside of it, slowly closing its eyes and lies back.

I got back up and look around while holding my sword, I was about to take my leave but I noticed that something did fell to the ground that this creature once hold. I looked around the dead Darkspawn the creature fought, moving its body to the side where I will gaze upon this small little golden ring that lies there on the ground. I crouched down and took off my glove before I picked it up and looked at it when I raise my hand up in the air to see it, having no scratch on the ring.

"It's just a little ring…" I mumbled to myself, looking at it a little more until I heard noises coming from behind me.

I placed the ring in my pocket before putting my glove on, I did not wear the ring yet but I thought I should be safe if I do not put it on yet. I got up and held my sword ready, looking towards the location where the Darkspawn came from; since the area is clear I head on through to find a way out of this place.

I went on ahead and not turning back, I figured there must be an area where I can escape and hope that I could regroup with my friends. I kept moving, moving through a narrow way with my sword drawn, seeing no sign of any Darkspawn around but I could tell that the room is getting brighter because of the exit is so close up ahead. The light was close and I decided to sheathed my sword before running towards the exit, seeing the sun has risen in the far away distance, I was home free from this nightmare.

I made it through the exit without any contact from the Darkspawn, I was close to freedom and with the shining light of the sun, I could feel warm again inside of me. I made it outside with no one around; I stood on the rocks and look out at the warm view, wondering to myself if my friends made it out of there. Just when I thought things were starting to look up, that is where something hits me. An arrow from behind hits me right in the back, I gasped when feeling it but I had no idea what just hit me.

"What…. Just… Happened…?" I looked back before I went and fell off the rocks, looking up and seeing a Darkspawn nearby but this Darkspawn was familiar to me, the Darkspawn hybrid I met before on Weathertop. "… You…"

I ended up collapsing onto the ground due to that arrow but there was no way a single arrow could have taken me out, it could have been coated with something, something that could paralyse me for a while until its master reveals itself to me. Another figure was nearby and maybe more Darkspawn will approach me from the high ground, they were waiting for me and I just fell right into their trap. This figure stood near me while I lie there on the ground, having my eyes gazing towards this strange weird looking Darkspawn that stands there before me.

"Everything… Will be alright, Grey Warden." The Darkspawn spoke, just like the hybrid but he was different. Once he finished that sentence, I was out cold, unconscious for hours or more than that but I was still alive.

I awoke from my sleep a second time, I have no idea just where I am but when I finally see clearly, I noticed I was in a prison cell. Trapped inside this prison cell, probably stuck underground yet again, as I have no idea how long I was asleep.

"Finally you're awake." A female's voice I heard nearby, when I turned my head towards whoever spoke, I see I was not alone in this prison cell.

She was an elf from the Woodland Realms, an elf who wears her proper elven armour. She was sitting in the other prison cell next to mine. "About time you got up, you must have been asleep for a few hours."

"A few hours?" I slowly got up off the ground, moving closer towards the cell bars "Where am I?"

She looks forward out in the open, looking towards four Darkspawn that stands as sentries in this wide room. "Take a guess. What do you remember?"

I just noticed them now when she turned her head towards them, I saw them too and that is where I remembered what happened to me. "I was in a Darkspawn cave… I made it out of there but…"

"It was the Architect." She said while facing towards the cell door

"The Architect?" I look back to her "Who is that?"

"An intelligent Darkspawn who is rebelling against the Archdemon of Erebor."

"Are you serious?"

"I am not joking." She turns her head to me "I heard what he said, he's planning on using a weapon so he could have full control over the Darkspawn, creating disciples so that he could control the rest."

"Disciples… Do you mean the talking Darkspawn?"

"That is correct."

Both the elf and myself turn our heads towards my cell door as a Darkspawn hybrid stood there answering my question, standing there looking towards me. "Your blood is the key to create more soldiers like me, soon we will bleed you dry until there is nothing left of you."

"….."

The elf woman stood up off the ground "And why the hell am I here?"

The hybrid turns his head towards her "You will soon find out." He then walks away from her

"Damnit…"

"Just who are you?"

"Ariane… That is my name."

"I am Darrius."

"Does it really matter?" She looks towards me "Because we're not getting out of here."

"We will get out of here…" I walk closer to the cell bars "Just need to find some way to get free from this place."

"And just how are we going to get out of here anyway?" She asks

"I'm…. Not sure yet."

She sighs and sits back down "Great plan."

I walk back and sits back down against the side, close to Ariane, thinking on just how exactly I am going to escape out of here. One thing did caught my attention that I forgot; I placed my hand in my pocket and took out that ring, seeing I still have it, seeing they did not take it from me. I just looked at it, gazing at this ring as if I could not look away.

"What are you looking at?" Ariane asks when looking over

"Why did he keep this ring?' I mumbled to myself, I took off my glove and slowly moved the ring to my finger.

"What are you doing?" She asks again when moving closer towards me, about to place her hand to my shoulder but suddenly she stopped when she could not see me anymore. "…"

I sat there looking around as the whole colour around me changes into this dark and twisted spirit way, I also noticed I still look the same but I did notice this ring I wear started to glow when I wear it. I got up off the ground and look back to Ariane, seeing she is looking around when she too got up as if she cannot see me. I have no idea what is going on, but I knew this ring is not just any other ring.

"Where is he!?" The Darkspawn hybrid comes back, standing by my cell door, getting our attention as he opens up the cell door and walks in while looking to Ariane "Where is he!?"

"I don't know!"

"I'm invisible…." I whispered to myself, seeing the door is open and this got me time to escape.

I was going to make my move out of there but I decided to attack while being invisible. I walked out of my cell and grabbed a Darkspawn sword from the one who stood by the cell door, I drew it out of its sheath then I stabbed it through the back of the Darkspawn. Both the hybrid and Ariane were shock to see that Darkspawn collapse onto the floor, seeing that Ariane might have figured it out on what happened to me while that hybrid was just stupid.

I quickly shut the cell door to lock that hybrid in there, I left the sword inside the Darkspawn I killed then quickly tried to unlock the cell door from Ariane before pulling the ring off to reveal myself. "That's my plan."

"Where did you get that ring?"

"Does it really matter right now?" I turned around and noticed two Darkspawn soldiers coming towards us "It's time that we fight."

Both of us grabbed the weapons off that dead Darkspawn, especially the one I stabbed through its back to defend ourselves against these two grunts. We both swung swords against them for a moment before we defeated them, striking a blow through them and giving us time to quickly get our weapons that was nearby. Since there was no more guards around here except for that hybrid, we ditched the Darkspawn swords and took our own weapons, I found my Starfang and drew that blade, missing it so much while Ariane drew out two elven swords and a bow.

"Are you ready?" She asks me when placing her quiver on her back, using her bow instead of her sword "I am going to rely on you on protecting me while I protect you."

"Alright, I got your back, Ariane."

Both of us were ready to make our way to the stairs on the right side of the room, walking past the hybrid as he watches us leave. "You will never escape this place." The hybrid said "You won't make it out of here alive!"

Ariane stopped and quickly turned towards the Darkspawn, firing her arrow and piercing it through the eye of the Darkspawn, sending it falling to the ground with an arrow through its eye. "No way we were going to let that thing live." She said when looking towards me for the moment then towards the stairway. "Let's go."

Together we quickly made it out of that dungeon and into a room where there is a handful of Darkspawn here, Ariane just kicked the door and fired her arrow at one of them while I run past her, fighting off against the other Darkspawn while she backs away, giving me support until there all dead. Once there all dead, he look left to right as there is two ways to go and if we choose the wrong way then we might be in trouble. The path on the left will take them upstairs, thinking that it should take them out of here while the area in the right will send them downstairs.

"We should take the left." Ariane said, walking past me and walking towards the doorway "We will make it out of here and hope that the werewolves won't catch us."

"Wait…" I look towards her and got her to stop "Werewolves?"

"Yes…" She turns to face me "There are werewolves here, blighted by the Darkspawn and I have no idea just how many there are but we have to make our escape."

"But we don't know where we are? We could be somewhere far away from civilisation; the werewolves can hunt us down and kill us."

"We don't know that."

I look back towards the dead Darkspawn then towards the right doorway, thinking of not leaving. "I don't think we should go."

"Are you serious?"

I look back to Ariane "You should leave, find salvation and tell them what is going on here. I will stay here and try to stop what they are doing, after all I am a Grey Warden and I should do this alone."

"You can't do this alone, they will find you."

I shook my head then took out the ring "No they won't…" I look back at the ring, staring at it yet again for a while until Ariane spoke.

"I don't think it's a good idea to use that ring. It could be one of the legendary rings and none of them should be used this way."

"I should… I could sneak through without them seeing me, that way I can find out what they are doing then I can finish them."

Ariane sighs "Reason with you isn't going to work right?"

"I have made up my mind… Are you coming?"

"Fine then… I'll come."

"You sure?"

"You already helped me out to escape, but destroying their operations here is somewhat important. If others find out then people would die when trying to take this place, so let's do this together then."

"Great." I turn towards the stairways going down "Let's see what we're dealing with down here.'

Together we pass down into the depths of the ruins of this place, seeing no sign of any resistance but there was some Darkspawn nearby but further within is where we will find the Architect. In the main structure of this ruins lies a large tree inside, it has already risen out of the ceiling and reaching the surface. In this this wide room was a handful of Darkspawn with the Architect on the left side while a pack of werewolves were on the right side, standing by a female being who does not look human. She was the spirit of a world that should not have come into the afterlife, a spirit who was the Lady of the Forest.

Both of them came here to see someone who called them here, it was a witch that possesses dark sorcery with unknown power. Her name is Yavana, one of the three witches of the wild and it looks like she has a role to play between the werewolves and the Darkspawn. Both Ariane and I investigate this, we plan to get closer but it does not look like it is going to work out.

Both of us stood by the opened doorway and looks through there seeing the whole group, we cannot sneak in because that witch has her body facing towards the door. "There is no way we can get in there." Ariane said when moving away, looking towards me as I stood there looking back there for the moment then back to her.

"Hmmmnnn…." I look towards them as they seem to be arguing but I do not know what they are saying. I look back to Ariane then looks to her quiver and her bow. "You know… I may have an idea that is so crazy that it might work."

"Do I have to ask?"

"You can but you might have to stay back and watch, let's say that we might have some allies for a few minutes…" I look back towards the group then to Ariane, I took out the ring again and look at it for the moment then I look to Ariane "I need an arrow and a bow."

In the room where they are discussing about something, I was stepping into the wolves den and I hope they do not smell my presence here. I stayed away from them, walking around and trying to stay near the Darkspawn grunts who were standing in the corners of the room, following one of them then will walk off towards another Darkspawn on the other side just to hear what they are saying.

"Do you honestly think that I will continue to let you do your work on my wolves?" The spirit asks when looking at the Architect "I was called upon this world by her." She then looks to Yavana then to the Architect "To create the werewolves, which I am holding the deal here. I have no deal with you, and I will not allow any more of these experiments."

"In case you forgotten, all of us serves the one who will unite all, a complete and united front to reclaim the lands of the north." The Architect said "We are in this covenant right here, and in order to increase our battle strength, there must be experiments that I wish to experiment on your werewolves to create strong and formidable weapons."

"You have already experimented on twelve of us already!" The werewolf suddenly spoke who stood next to the Lady "I will not allow any of my brothers to die in your experiments!"

"Hush, Swiftrunner." The Lady spoke "I will deal with this."

He growls but he bows slightly "I apologise."

"I came here to deal with certain matters in this covenant." Yavana said "Very soon I will need the both of you to join the forces of Dol Guldur, to take back the lands of the north. That is what I want and I want progress, here and now."

"We will be a united front." The Lady said "But I don't need the Darkspawn here, this here will cause attention and if the elves know that we have Darkspawn here then they will come and destroy this place. I want to continue my work without him, only then can you have good progress with us."

"We will leave you if that is what you want." The Architect said "But I plan on keeping those two prisoners, he is a Grey Warden and I need his blood, the elf is also a good asset to my work on making her a Grey Warden, that way I have two people that can help create my army of Darkspawn in Gundabad."

"We plan to turn her into one of us!" The werewolf said "We caught her first, we will make her one of us!"

When he rose his voice higher and took a few steps forward, this caused the attention to go worse as the Darkspawn by the Architect's side drew weapons and the rest of the werewolves defend themselves. Everyone began to go into an attack mode but no one here was ready to clash against each other, only the witch would stop this madness between each other by stepping in the center between the two.

"Now is my chance…" I mumbled to myself, standing behind the Darkspawn archer but I quickly covered my mouth when that grunt turned around, looking around but I was still invisible.

"Enough of this!" Yavana Said "I will not tolerate betrayals here… Our master will have our heads if we keep this up, do you two want to live in this covenant or not?"

While they argue, I quickly drew my bow ready to fire, standing next to the Darkspawn as it too drew an arrow ready but aiming down on the floor. I took aim towards the witch, not sure to target target her but when she moves away I aimed my arrow towards the female with the strange coloured skin who is controlling the werewolves. I decided to fire towards her instead, just to get the werewolves to attack the Darkspawn, causing my arrow to reveal itself when I fired it and went straight towards her. The werewolf named Swiftrunner sensed danger close, he quickly raise his hand forward and stops my arrow before it touched her, hitting its hand and not the Lady.

"Oh bloody hell…"

"The Lady was attacked!" Swiftrunner shouts before growling at the Darkspawn "Kill the Darkspawn!"

Yavana quickly jumped back when the werewolves attacked on his command, tackling the Darkspawn while pushing the Architect back and causing a serious fight between the two factions. The Darkspawn archers quickly drew arrows and fired at the werewolves, all I did is sit back and enjoyed the show while the three leaders backs away, backing away as the werewolves battle against the Darkspawn grunts. Both sides continue to try to talk this out but the werewolves and Darkspawn are not responding, they continue to fight until one of them left alive.

Swiftrunner would approach the Architect once he was alone after he clawed a grunt in the face, now taking his anger out on him as he backs away. One of the Darkspawn with the bow was about to shoot towards Swiftrunner, tempted to let this happen but I decided to see if he can get the Architect. I stayed invisible while I drew my sword, stabbing my sword through the back of the archer to stop it from firing.

"Swiftrunner!" The Lady calls to him "Calm yourself."

"The Darkspawn shall not harm any more of us again!"

Yavana aimed her staff towards Swiftrunner "Then I will end this myself!"

Just as they were about to clash against each other, a sudden blast came down from above, sending this shockwave across the area and sending almost everyone off their feet and onto the floor while Ariane stood firm on the ground. Gandalf did that shockwave as he finally arrived, here to free us and end this fight between the two. He came forth out of the shadows with his staff and sword drawn, ready to do battle and got Ariane and myself to reveal ourselves to him as we too drew our weapons.

"Take up arms." Gandalf said "Fight!"

Both Ariane and myself drew arms and charged into the fray while Gandalf swings his sword through the neck of a werewolf in front of him then looks towards Yavana while she backs away. The Lady would retreat while Swiftrunner forgets about the Architect for now and plans to protect the Lady, charging towards Gandalf from behind but he swung his staff at it, hitting the face before slicing the chest, getting Swiftrunner to retreat to the Lady. The Architect retreats but before he leaves, he sends forth blighted dragons down upon Gandalf. These dragons appears smaller and will give the Architect time to escape while I tried to chase after him, only to be stop by a Darkspawn in front of me.

I held onto the ring while I keep fighting, striking the chest of the Darkspawn then behead it before looking over to Ariane who was busy on her side, killing off two Darkspawn. I look towards Gandalf and ran towards him, running towards one of the dragons from behind but it ends up sending fire at me, causing me to duck and avoid the flames. I look back up and the dragon tackled me to the ground, being on top of me to try to devour me, I even accidently dropped the ring when it tackled me to the ground. I tried to get the ring but I tried fighting the dragon, only to get my sword in its mouth but then Ariane arrived and sliced her sword through the dragons head, helping me up off the ground.

"You alright?"

"Yeah…" I said when getting up off the ground. I look back down to find the ring, only to be stopped by another werewolf, getting me and Ariane to fight it while Gandalf was busy with the other dragon.

Once Gandalf slain the dragon, he turns towards us once we stabbed our swords through the werewolf. "Let's go, come on!" He shouts before looking towards a secret doorway where the Lady and the Architect flees.

"You will not get a good victory on this day here old man!" Yavana shouts to him, raising her hand up and creating a fireball, throwing it towards Gandalf.

Gandalf blocks that attack by creating this dome of light around him, making the fireball to hit against a strong wall. Ariane would jump in and fired an arrow once I gave her bow back, only to be block by Yavana's staff, she would try to suddenly shapeshift, turning into a large and wild bear on two feet while letting off a roar. She lands on the ground with all four of her feet before charging towards us, targeting Gandalf first while Ariane fired another arrow, only to hit the shoulder of the bear.

Gandalf moved out of the way as the bear came charging at him, getting him to hit against the tree while I tried to fight heroic against this beast. I charge towards the bear, swinging my sword to try to remove the head, only to be stop when the bear turned to me on time and attacked me, swinging its claw and clawing my chest. Ariane drew her swords and charged towards it while I collapse onto the ground, feeling that bear clawed through my skin. The bear attacked her while Gandalf charged through as well, swinging his sword through the side of the bear, getting it to turn towards him while he defends its claws with his staff. At last, I will be the one to finish it off, stabbing a spear on the ground through the leg, getting the bear to moan in pain and got it off its feet, getting me and Gandalf together to stab our swords through the beast then pulls the swords out before collapsing onto the ground.

Yavana lies there close to death still in its bear form until she reverts to her original self, still alive but barely as she was cover in her blood. She slowly raise her head up, looking at us while we stood together looking down at her, weapons drawn just in case she tries something but she only said a few things before finally passing on.

"You are only…. Stopping… The inevitable."

We stood there watching her lowering her head as she dies of losing too much blood, I look towards Gandalf as he stands there looking at her for a while. "What did she mean by that?" I asked him, getting him to turn his head towards me. "Gandalf?"

"It does not matter…. What matters is that you are safe." He said when placing his hand on his shoulder "I am curious is to how you got out of your dungeons in one piece."

"Well… I…"

"Darkspawn!" Ariane stops this when aiming her dual swords at the Darkspawn as a handful of them appears running down the stairway we went through.

I look back to find the ring while those two could handle this but sadly I was unfortunate to get it, only to be stopped when Darkspawn went firing arrows towards us. Ariane moved out of the way and I was unlucky, taking two hits to my chest, close to my right arm and sent me collapsing onto the ground. I looked forward, seeing Gandalf stabbing his staff on the floor, sending a shockwave to send them onto the ground, once there all dead he looks back towards me but I fell unconscious after taking those hits.


	6. Chapter 4

I awoke yet again after taken out by the Darkspawn a second time, unconscious and was stuck in my nightmares, seeing the Archdemon yet again and pretty much doing the same thing as I saw it at the first time. This nightmare would last only a minute but when I woke up, I was out for two hours.

I was far away from the ruins of where I was, I was lying in a small camp with Gandalf and Ariane, hearing them talking to one another but I couldn't hear a thing until my eyes can see clearly and got Ariane to turn her head towards me. Gandalf would got up and took a few steps away from camp while Ariane was checking my injuries, having my upper body clothes removed and showed I had bandaged around the area where the Darkspawn archers shot me.

"Are you okay?" She asked "You have been asleep for hours, can you hear me?"

"Yeah…" I responded when slowly waving my right arm around "I'm fine."

Ariane backs away while I slowly try to sit up "Hey you shouldn't sit up, you still need to rest."

"I'm fine…" I look towards Gandalf when he turns towards me "You came back for me… Why?"

"Why?" He slightly laughs when walking closer to us "Darrius, we have already been through this before."

"Oh yeah… I forgot."

"And don't worry about the others, they are all fine and are already on ahead. They are safe for now and will soon make their way to the entrance of the old forest road of Mirkwood."

"Mirkwood?" Ariane asked and stood up "You're going through there?"

"Why of course… Why what's wrong?"

"Mirkwood is covered in a sickness, like a blight went over it but it wasn't the Darkspawn, they have never reached that far."

"Hmmnnn…"

"So is it dangerous to cross?" I asked when looking to Ariane

"Indeed… But the worst is the webs."

"Webs?" Gandalf asked

"Giant spiders are spreading across there, I was meant to dispose of them but I was captured by the enemy. I did pick up their trail; they all lead in Dol Guldur."

"Dol Guldur?" I asked

Gandalf stood there astonished for the moment when she mentioned that name "But that old fortress is abandoned."

"I have no idea; I didn't make it there because the Darkspawn caught me."

"The Darkspawn…" I slowly tried to get up off the ground, feeling the pains of my injuries.

"Darrius…" Ariane grabbed my arm and tried to help me up off the ground

"There's a Darkspawn in there, a talking Darkspawn."

"I have already seen him." Gandalf said

"Well do you know what he needs Grey Warden blood in order to create hybrids? To create talking Darkspawn?"

Ariane looks to Gandalf "How is that even possible?"

"Nothing is impossible now…" Gandalf turns to the side "The Darkspawn are splitting in two factions."

"The one who is the Architect is trying to control the Darkspawn." I spoke out "He's probably turning against the Archdemon in Erebor."

"But why?" Ariane asked when looking to me then to Gandalf "It makes no sense. Why would the Darkspawn turn against each other, why would they fight each other while we are getting close of defeating their master?"

"It's because the Architect serves a different master." Gandalf said, turning back and looking out at the dark night, looking straight towards the location on where Dol Guldur might be "The Witch of the Wilds."

"You think there's a witch in those ruins, like the one we seen and faced?"

"Yes but far deadly." Gandalf said then turns away from the two, walking towards his sword that he laid on the ground, picking that up and was about to take his leave.

"What are you doing?" Ariane asked

"You're not planning on going to Dol Guldur alone?"

"I would not do this to you and the company." Gandalf looks to us when walking to the horse "There is something hiding in those ruins, I need to find out myself."

"But Gandalf." I tried walking closer to him, still having Ariane to hold me up "You can't leave us here."

Gandalf would stop and look back at us "After what I heard from that witch in those ruins, she is likely true on what she said to us. Something is coming and I need to know what it is, I must go alone to Dol Guldur." He looks to Ariane "Ariane, if you be so kind is to take Darrius to the north to the entrance of the forest. There is no other way across the forest to lead the company to Erebor."

She sighs while I stepped forward "Gandalf… You be careful out there."

He smiles slightly towards me before turning back and getting on this horse, riding out of the camp and heading back into the south while we watch him ride into the darkness. Gandalf would use his staff to light the way as he rides, seeing his light is slowly fading away the further he travels away from us.

"He's going to be alright." Ariane said "He is a wizard after all."

"I fear that he is deliberately walking into an ambush." I look back to Ariane "We should move too."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. Time is running out."

With Gandalf gone we had to work together again, she got the horses ready while I quickly put on my gear before moving towards her. We packed up camp and began getting on the horses, riding out into the darkness and going straight to the north, seeing that the sun is slowly rising up over the mountains, having it a good time for us to see where we were going. We make our ride towards the location on where Gandalf wants us to go, having Ariane taking the lead, seeing that she knew where we have to go, hoping that we will reach the others on time.

Thorin and the whole company would make it to the forest when the sun shines bright in the sky over the mountains. Once they make it there, they dismount their horses and sent them back to where they got them, returning them back into the wilds before they begin approaching the entrance into the forest. Once they stand there looking within this place, that is Ariane and myself comes into play, riding towards them from their right and getting their attention.

"It's Darrius." Alistair said "He's alive."

"I can't believe he made it." Kili said

Thorin would stay where he was, surprised as well but he looks back to the forest then looks back towards Darrius, seeing that he isn't with Gandalf but with an end instead, changing his look to angry as he knows what is about to happen here. He stayed where he was while Alistair, Kili and Mhairi approaches us when we dismount on the horses, once I land on the ground I did felt a bit pain from that injury I took, seeing that it will be a while before I fully heal.

"Darrius…" Mhairi calls out "You son of a…."

"How did you survive it?" Kili asks when approaching us

"Yes indeed." Said Alistair "It is good to see you again."

"Thanks guys… You should thank Gandalf for coming back; I thought I was going to be dead for sure."

"I don't think it would make much of a difference if Gandalf arrived." Ariane said "We had it under control."

"And who are you?" Kili asks when looking to Ariane

"I am Ariane, I an elf from the Woodland Realm. I came here to assist you in –"

"We don't need an elf like you in our company." Thorin interrupts this, changing the whole mood between the others.

"And just who are you?" Ariane asks

"A dwarf who has no love for your kind, after all you care nothing but yourselves."

"What is that supposed to mean?" She said when placing her hands on her hips

"Uhh Ariane…"

"Not now Darrius, I want to hear what this little dwarf has to say."

"Here we go…" Alistair turns back and walks back to Duncan

"We do not need help from the elves of the forest. You should just leave while we be on our way."

"But she can help us out Thorin." I spoke out

"Stay out of this." Thorin shuts me up

"Thorin? Son of Thrain? Oh yes…" She lowers her arms "You're the dwarf from Erebor."

"So you know who I am… I bet you were one of the elves who came with the elven king to watch as Erebor falls."

"Hmn… Well you are right to blame us for leaving you dwarves… But to be honest, it was you're doing, not us."

"What did you just say!?" He steps closer to her

"I wouldn't go blaming the elves for your mistakes; I know you blame the elves for not helping you dwarves take back your lands but you had it coming. You and your lust for gold…" She looks at Fili then to Kili "All of you dwarves have it and you cannot deny it. You should not blame the elves for losing Erebor, Thorin… Because it was you dwarves who brought the Darkspawn into this world, the same thing goes with the demon that lives in Moria."

"…."

"How dare you…" Kili said "You shouldn't blame all the dwarves who were not even there when it all happened…"

"Then you should not blame the elves." Ariane looks to Kili "Because we didn't bring the Darkspawn into this world…" She looks back to Thorin "It was your king who wanted more treasure, if he wasn't such a greedy king, everything would have changed on that day." She walks past him and goes straight towards Duncan while everyone else stayed where they are, looking to Thorin and the dwarves as they stand there mourning about this.

"Well… Uhh…" Mhairi walks up to Ariane "It is… Good to have another woman in our party, I am Mhairi, a Grey Warden just like Darrius."

"Why thank you…" She looks to her then to Duncan and Alistair "So tell me, are you in charge?"

Duncan turns to Thorin as he stands there slowly turning back towards Ariane, having him to respond that question. "I am the leader of the Grey Wardens in the west."

"Good." She looks at the entrance into the forest "You sure you want to go through there, not just elves that lies through there."

"We know." Alistair said "And there's no other way across, we just have to get through there in order to reach Erebor so we can end this blight."

"Then we better get underway then?" I spoke out when walking towards them, getting them to turn towards me "We are all here except for Gandalf; he would want us to go through here."

"He's right." Duncan said "We have to go through there, we will face the creatures that lurks within."

"I guess we got no choice then." Alistair said when looking at the entrance

"Oh and one more thing." Ariane said "I suggest that you stay on the road, or else your mind will change and play tricks with you." She ends up going first, taking point while the rest of us stayed where we are for now.

I was about to go after her then looks to Thorin and the dwarves "I still think that you might do a great change in Erebor if you take it back, don't forget what we are all doing for you dwarves."

"…"

The whole company venture forth into the forest with their weapons drawn, knowing what is out there waiting for them. The dwarves would be the last to go in, having Ariane leading the walk with Duncan behind her and the rest in the middle. While they walk in, both Alistair and Mhairi got curious about me escaping the Darkspawn and wanted to know what really happened, all I did is respond to them the truth but I kept the ring out of discussing.

Inside the forest, we continued going, not looking back and kept walking on the road ahead of us, staying together in a line, we kept going for some time now; it will be a while before we reach the other side.

They travel through the spike wooden trees close to them, checking their footing to find the stone paths. While they go further within, the light becomes darker as the forest trees covers up the sun, only seeing glimpse of light shining down upon them while they move. As they keep going, they will lose the sunlight as the forest gets deeper and keeps heading on the path, still having Ariane taking point. While they keep moving on the path, Ariane stops and causes everyone to hit against each other.

"What's going on?" Duncan asked when moving next to Ariane "Why did you stop?"

"The webs…" Ariane said, walking to the rocks, seeing the webs. She looks up and notices the webs are all over the place above them, smothering the sounding trees around the area, seeing massive webs all across the area. "Were soon to be watched…"

"We need to get a move on." Thorin said as he comes up and takes point "We need to leave this place now!"

"Alright…" Ariane said and follows Thorin, letting him take point while the rest of us follows.

"Are there other creatures in this forest?" I spoke to Ariane from behind while they keep moving "Besides spiders?"

"Well there used to be Darkspawn… But I have no idea if we got rid of them or not. It has been sometime since I see Mirkwood."

"Well you got any ideas?"

"Maybe some blighted creatures, wolves and spiders..."

"Hold…" Thorin said when he stopped and looked out seeing big spiders in the distance moving over the webs and getting closer "Spiders."

Ariane moves up and stands next to Thorin "We have to stay on the road... We keep moving."

Thorin held his sword ready as he moves forward, moving down the path and watching the spiders as they get closer, having everyone else moving with their weapons at the ready. While they keep going, they discover that the road is gone and caused Thorin to hold position while the spiders are mysteriously gone.

"What's wrong now?" Mhairi asks Thorin

"We lost the road." Thorin responds when standing there looking down, seeing only dirt and a wide-open field.

"Oh that is not good…"

"What happens if we get off the road anyway?" Mhairi asks Ariane

"It doesn't matter." Thorin said and steps off the road, moving forward and looking to his right "The spiders are gone… We need to keep moving without the blasted road!"

"Wow he does not hesitate on charging into danger…" Ariane said

"Well they are dwarves after all." Mhairi said and looks to Fili and Kili "You guys are meant for combat."

"And you noticed this now?" Fili said

"We are fighters after all, to the last dwarf!" Kili shouts

"Am I the only one who knows that the spiders are gone?" I interrupted this whole discussing

We all began moving off the road, onto the dirt and open field where the trees cover the whole area and difficult to actually know which way they are going right now, having us all stand together in a circle around the area, seeing if they could find the spiders but there is no sign of them. Very soon, someone was watching them, making an appearance before them by standing on the high ground, looking down at them.

A tall looking Arcane Horror comes forth out of the wilderness, looking down at them. Soon, Kili noticed him first and aimed his bow towards the creature, getting everyone else to turn towards the Arcane Horror as it makes its move upon us. It sent forth this arcane blast down at us, causing us to scatter away from each other before impact, once it did; it sends a shockwave and sent some of us collapsing onto the ground while the rest of us were still standing and turns towards the Arcane Horror while the rest of us tries to get back up.

The Arcane Horror was not alone here, seeing the skeletons of the fallen elves who died out here to come back to life, surrounding the company and began moving closer to attack. Ariane was in shock to see her fallen brothers, she hesitated at first to attack the one close to her but I intervened in this by getting behind it, stabbing my sword through the back then pulled out so I could behead it to make sure it stays dead.

"You alright?"

"…."

"Come on…" I look back, seeing more undead elves coming out of the trees "We need you right now."

Kili was firing an arrow at one of the skeletons through the head, sending it falling to the ground. He would also draw another arrow and takes aim towards the Arcane Horror as it stands there, watching us fight the undead. He fired but the Arcane Horror simply swung its arm to hit that arrow away from it, making it to create another magical technique but Thorin was closer and swung his sword at the creature in the leg. He injured it when it crouches when feeling that hit, it just swung its hands towards Thorin to claw his face in, only to be stop by one of Duncan's swords, throwing his dagger and hitting it in the chest.

Thorin was going to finish it off but noticed another skeleton coming at him from behind, luckily he got Mhairi nearby and shield bashed the skeleton, sending it flying back. Mhairi would to stand behind him with her back facing his, helping him out to take care of the other skeletons coming towards them, giving Thorin time to clash against the creature a few times until he strikes a third time through the chest, sending it collapsing onto the ground.

"There's a lot of them!" Alistair said when shield bashing one of the skeletons then stabs his sword through the chest.

"There's still a lot of us." Duncan moves towards the dead Arcane Horror, swinging his sword to the side to remove the top head of a skeleton close to him.

"It doesn't matter!" I shout out when beheading a skeleton "There easy to be killed, just try not to get eaten by them."

"You don't have to tell us that…." Fili was seen being held against the tree with a skeleton trying to eat him, getting him to draw a dagger out of his coat and stabs it through the chin, kicking it back onto the ground then threw it towards another one nearby.

While we keep fighting for a little while longer, killing mostly all of them and got us all to back away into a circle in the middle while the dead surround us. We were ready to charge back out to strike them back, that was until someone else interfered in this fight and unleashed lightning down upon us. A mage was nearby, sending an energy blast into the sky that got me to look up at it, once it was above it, it lets loose with lightning strikes down upon the skeletons and taking most of them out.

All of us were in shock to see this, seeing only a few left but they held position for the moment. The woman who attacked came forth, revealing herself as another elf of the Woodland Realm. She was standing on the high ground looking down at them just like what the Arcane Horror did, getting us to look over as she comes down on this narrow way, ignoring the skeletons because she has brought backup with her. The elves in the forest let loose with their arrows, taking out the last ones that she missed while she walks over, standing there and looking at the company while the elves would soon reveal themselves, aiming their arrows towards us now.

"Oh that's just great…" Alistair said

The elf mage who stood there looking towards us soon got her eyes towards Ariane who stood with us, getting Ariane to smile at her, knowing who she is. "Ariane?" The woman spoke in English.

Ariane will walk out of the circle and comes closer to her. "It's been a while, Velanna."

Two elves will come out of the group of elves who still had their arrows aiming towards the company. A beautiful elf who is Tauriel and the Prince of the Woodland Realm who is Legolas, revealing themselves to the company. Both of them walks over to both Velanna and Ariane, both of them were also shock to see Ariane here and well.

"Ariane…"

"Lord Legolas." She said in elven language then bows to him and so did Velanna

Legolas looks to the company then to the three dwarves before looking back to Ariane and respond in elven language "Who are these people?"

"We are here to travel to Erebor." She responds "These are Grey Wardens." She looks to them then back to Legolas

"Oh great… There speaking elven language again." Mhairi said

Legolas looks at Thorin for the moment then back to Ariane, still speaking in elven language "I need to take them to my father."

"Are you sure?" Ariane asks "He may not have time to stay, we need to get to the east."

"I can't do that…" Legolas looks to Tauriel "We bring them."

Legolas turns back and walks off and so did Tauriel while she speaks out in elven to the elves, making them lower their bows and moving closer to the company, getting Ariane to look back to Velanna.

"It is good to see that you are alive and well." Velanna said in English "But you all would have to go with Legolas to the kingdom."

"We don't have time for this!" Thorin said

"I don't think you got any choice here, dwarf." Velanna looks to him "You are in the king's forest; if you wish to get to the other side then you would have to get his approval into the east." She looks to Ariane for the moment before turning back and walking away.

"I should have expected this…" Ariane said

"Then why didn't yo –"

"Look…" Ariane looks to them "If I told you, you would still pass into the forest. Just keep calm and shut up."

"….."

All the elves would escort the whole company out of the forest, having the company in the middle while the rest of the elves will stay around them, making sure they do not leave as if they are prisoners. This here is going to become a problem for them, seeing that the way things are going, they do not trust these elves but Ariane trusts them well even though she has been gone for a while now.

I would speak up to Ariane while we travel through the forest "Care to fill us in on what is about to happen once we get to see your elven king?"

"Everything will be fine." She said while she keeps walking, having her head facing forward "I will make sure that King Thranduil keeps his word and lets us go."

"How can you be sure about that?"

She turns her head back towards me while she keeps walking "He does not like the Darkspawn, they once threatened his land and if there is a chance of defeating them, he will surely help."

"You think the elves will join us in the fight in Erebor." Alistair said who walks next to me

"If he accepts the offer."

"He will not join us." Thorin said, walking behind them and got us to look back to him "He will surely send half of us to the brig or make a deal with us, in exchange for his army and support."

"Then just give him what he wants." I said when looking to Thorin "We only have the forces of Gondor and Rhun right?' I look to Alistair, seeing him nodding to me "Then it would be good if we got the elves, just a little backup."

Ariane looks to Velanna and speaks English to her "What has been happening while I was gone?"

Velanna responds "The king has been pushing us back into our region points, we do not venture further out anymore." She said while she keeps moving, turning her head to Ariane "That man will eventually send us underground, making us fall to darkness."

"I would not speak to our king like that." Tauriel said in elven language "He only does this for his people, nothing more."

"Well I refuse to stay in that kingdom with his." Velanna looks back to Tauriel "You all can live in that kingdom all you want…" She then stops all the sudden "But I do not live there anymore…"

Tauriel looks back to her while the rest of us keeps moving "Velanna…"

"Leave her be Tauriel." Legolas said in elven language "She has chosen her way… She is banished after all." He then looks forward and catches up with the elven party.

I watch as Velanna turns back and ventures back into the wilds where she wishes to stay, having me to turn my head to Legolas when he comes up towards us. "You're the leader of this group right?" I asked and got his attention "Can you explain to us of what is going to happen to us when we reach to sanctuary?"

"I suggest you keep your mouth shut." Legolas said when looking back to me

"You elves do act hostile… Do you always treat your allies like this?"

"We are not allies here… I don't even know you."

I sighs "We once fought together… You elves fought together with my father and those who fought against the Darkspawn on Arnor… I suggest that you think twice before treating us as the Darkspawn."

He looks back to me and stares at me for a while and I stare back at him, things were not going well and I thought these elves would be like the ones my father fought alongside to defend Arnor against the Darkspawn, instead I am force to deal with the opposite of the elves from Rivendell. If these elves are like this, I do fear what is going to happen if we meet with the King of the Woodland Elves. This here is going to change the fate of this whole company, to end our quest here at the hands of the elves, or to get their help and travel across the east where the army awaits us.


	7. Chapter 5

Legolas move back and speaks to Tauriel in elven language; both seem serious when they look down at the dead Arcane Horror on the ground and many dead elven warriors. "The spiders were not afraid of them." Legolas said to Tauriel "They were afraid of them…"

"The creatures here are getting bolder." Tauriel responds in elven then looks back to Velanna when she is coming towards them "Velanna…"

"These creatures are swarming all over the land…" Velanna said "And yet King Thranduil is doing nothing about it."

"I wish you don't say things like that Velanna." Tauriel said "He is our king."

"And yet he does nothing." She looks to the company being escort out of here "I don't like this at all.

All of were escorted out of the wilds and into sanctuary by making our way into the kingdom of elves, the second time I was to see another great marvel work made by the elves. All of us made our way through, there we will see the inside of this great kingdom that lies under the mountain of the forest but when we made it inside, they closed the front gate and sealed it shut, leaving Velanna out there alone while the rest of the elves secures their territories.

King Thranduil sits up on his wooden throne, looking down at the new visitors as they come through closer to him. He examined each one of them, soon to stop when his eyes gaze upon Thorin as he remembered him well, getting his eyes fixed on Thorin as him and everyone else in the company will look over to the king.

"King Thranduil…." Ariane mumbled to herself

"That's your king?" Alistair said

"Yep."

Legolas walks up closer to Thranduil, speaking elven language to him "We have found these men, here to go to Erebor." He said when looking back to the company then back to Thranduil "They are Grey Wardens."

"Not all of them." Thranduil said in elven language as well

Duncan steps forward and causes the elf in front of him to stand in front of him, touching the handle of his sword. "I am a Grey Warden." Duncan said "We don't mean you and your kind any harm. All we need is to travel into the east, to fight in the war against the Darkspawn."

"I speak on his behalf." Ariane also steps forward, speaking in elven language when looking towards Thranduil

"Ariane…" Thranduil said when standing up off his throne, speaking English "You have returned…."

"Yes…" She looks back to the company "I was saved by one of the members of this company, right now I owe him so I brought them here through the forest."

Legolas looks back to Thranduil "It is true."

"We only want to travel to Erebor immediately." Duncan said "All we ask is to travel through to the east."

"Well… I think we should rejoice…" Thranduil said in English "Give them a feast before they travel to the east." He said to Legolas then back to the company "It is at least we can do for returning one of our captive elves from the enemy."

"Well… It has been a while since we ate." Mhairi said

"Well I do feel kind of hungry." I spoke out "Should we accept their hospitality?"

"We don't really have a choice." Duncan said

"You should accept it." Ariane said when looking back to the company "We need one of their boats to travel to the east, because we have no way to travel across the lake."

"Well when you put it that way." Mhairi said

Ariane looks to Thorin and the dwarves for the moment, seeing no word is coming out of their mouth. She would look back to Thranduil then speaks in elven language "We accept your hospitality, King Thranduil." She bows respectfully to him. She looks to Duncan and the others, hitting them slightly "You guys bow too."

Alistair and I were the only ones who sighs when bowing slightly to King Thranduil to get him smile, all except for the dwarves although I do not think he noticed them. After that, we all made our way out of the throne room, moving somewhere else in the kingdom and sitting down by this rectangular wooden table. All of us was force to discard our weapons, placing them behind us while we all sit down by the table, having Legolas to join us but he stayed back, not wishing to sit down with us but eventually we will find out that King Thranduil will join us. He will come over and sits at the end of the table, causing Thorin to sit at the other end of the table, looking straight at Thranduil while he sits there smiling, pretending that he is not there.

"I have heard reports from my warriors saying that you killed an Arcane Horror from the wild?" Thranduil said, looking upwards when seeing some servants coming in and placing food and a lot of wine on the table.

"Yes…" Mhairi spoke first "We… We fought it and killed it, also killing all of the fallen elves."

"That Arcane Horror wondered the wilds for far too long. It has already killed many of my people…" He turns his eyes to Mhairi "You have my sincere thanks on getting rid of that monster."

"Well…" She looks forward "Happy to help…"

"I am curious to where you stand in this war against the Darkspawn." Duncan said "We would appreciate it if you join us on defeating the Archdemon."

"To lure out the dragon and kill it, you would need an army…" He picks up the glass full of wine then looks at it for a while "And a lot of Grey Wardens to deliver the kill. From what I heard there are two armies approaching Erebor, if you would allow another army to join you…" He turns his eyes towards Thorin "I'm sure that there is a reward for all of this, am I right?" He then looks to Duncan and places his cup of wine back on the table.

"Well it is not up to me to decide what the reward should be if the dwarves take back their kingdom." Duncan looks to Thorin

"Just what kind of reward are we getting anyway?" Mhairi asks when looking to Thorin

"I don't think there is a reward." Thranduil said when looking straight towards Thorin, seeing he is unsatisfied while sitting there staring back to Thranduil

"I assure you all…" Thorin finally speaks "Both men of Gondor and Rhun will be well rewarded after the battle is finished…. They will be rewarded from the treasures of Thror." He looks back to Thranduil "But know this… I will not give away any piece of treasure to any elf… Not even you, King Thranduil."

Ariane leans forward "Thorin… Not here." She whispers

"No…" Thorin sits up "I will not have any elf lord stand between me and my quest to take back Erebor, neither will I barter with any coin from Erebor to the likes of him!"

"Just as I expected…" Thranduil said "He is clearly mad with greed, he does not fulfil his word in the end, just like the king who ruled under that mountain, the same king who brought the blight upon Middle-Earth. He brought this upon himself; he broke the alliance between elves and dwarves, therefore…" He stands up off his seat "You dwarves will never take back Erebor."

"We broke the alliance?" Kili asks when looking to Thranduil then to Thorin "What is he talking about?"

"There are gems within the mountain that I too desire…" Thranduil said "White Gems of pure Starlight. Your king brought me there for an alliance which I was happily oblige to that, in the end, he decided to keep the gems to himself and locked himself within those walls where I could not get my hands on them."

"All this for gems?" I asked when looking to Thorin then to Ariane

"Those gems are very valuable…" Ariane said "You don't want to know about the story."

"If you wish for my support, to take back Erebor and eradicate the Darkspawn forever. I will give you an army of ten thousand elves, in exchange for their support; I want what I wanted from the previous king of Erebor."

"Ten thousand elves?" Alistair said, looking to Thranduil astonished "That's a… Big number."

"We don't need the elves…" Thorin turns back and walks out of the dining room, soon to stop when Legolas stands in front of him, getting Thorin to stare up at Legolas while he does the same thing.

"Let him go." Thranduil said, picking up the wine glass to drink, allowing Legolas to stand aside while Thorin walks past him and goes off elsewhere.

"Should you guys…?" Mhairi looks to Fili and Kili as they look towards Thorin leaving

"He will be fine… Give him time…"

Afterwards, we stayed and eat for a while, as Thorin never came back after that, either he was thinking about this or he was trying to calm down so he can think of a way out of here. After we had something to eat, King Thranduil took his leave for now, knowing that something is not right if he finds Thorin and cause a fight. I on the other hand took a little walk, getting the attention from one of the elves who was there watching us.

I walk down this narrow pathway, soon to stop when I can feel someone is approaching me, getting me to turn my head towards the stairway and spots Ariane coming down to approach me.

"Ariane…"

"What are you doing, Darrius?"

"I wanted to go for a walk around here." I respond to her question "This is the second time I pass through an elven lands." I then turn towards the view of the palace "I wish to remember this."

"Is that so?" She comes up to me and stands in front of me "I could show you around; after all it will be a while before we get a response from the king."

"Sure… But I got to ask, do you think your king will join us?"

"It is hard to say actually…" She walks past me, getting me to turn towards her to follow her as she walks "King Thranduil will give you his word that he will come, in exchange for a certain reward."

"Yeah he mention something like that. I guess both Gondor and Rhun want the same thing; after all they are not doing this for free."

"Actually they are just using that in the efforts in the war. Everyone wants the Darkspawn gone, they also thought that maybe they can get some profit, it's a win-win situation but everyone is targeting that mountain."

"Everyone says that Erebor holds the largest riches in all of Middle-Earth."

"Yes…. The dwarves would continue mining down further within the halls of the mountain, thinking that they might find the great jewel and heart of the mountain. They did not expect to find Darkspawn down there."

"Although to be honest… This grudge against your kind and the dwarves, it's all about the treasure…"

"Well of course it is… Everyone is placing the treasure in the middle, causing both sides to try and take it, if someone gets there first then they will surely not share it."

"Are you certain about that?"

"Positive. I know that Thorin is bound to cause serious trouble when he takes back Erebor… I know that look of his; it is a look of ruthless and aggression. He will place the blame over someone else, find a certain way and a reason to turn against everyone, he will surely give nothing to the people who have risk their lives to get him on that throne."

"You think he is going to betray us the moment he takes that throne?" I stopped for the moment while she kept walking until she turns towards me.

"Yes."

"…."

"Both Erebor and Moria fell to the Darkspawn due to the dwarves digging so far down that they brought a reckoning upon them, now they wish to beg to the elves and men to help them take back their lands, in exchange for that, no one gets anything in return."

"That is why we must not trust the dwarves." Legolas suddenly appeared behind us, causing the both of us to turn towards him, causing Ariane to bow slightly in respect to him.

"Lord Legolas."

"So you feel the same way to the dwarves?" I asked him, getting him to turn his eyes towards me

"That is correct… I bet that my father will surely send you on your way to Erebor. I think you should prepare for that and not wasting time looking through our home."

"Hey…" I stepped forward "If I do survive the battle of Erebor, I plan to retire someday and write my adventures down, that way I can remember this until I eventually die."

"This is not a vacation you know." Legolas turns back "Just go back to your company and move out of here." He then walks away

"Hmn… Oh by the way." I turn to Ariane "I was meaning to ask one of you. That elf with the magical powers, the one who saved us… Who was she?"

"She was Velanna, an elf who is like the protector of the forest." She looks back then looks back towards me "I notice that some things have changed while I was gone, it looks like Velanna finally spoke her mind to the king and for that she was banished."

"Banished?"

"She always tried to protect all the forest; instead, King Thranduil wishes to protect only his borders, not allowing anyone to leave until he says so. She of course wanted to protect the whole lands here, for that she was banished."

I sighs "Unbelievable…"

"Yes well… Maybe it is best that we leave soon, only then can we get out of here in one piece, staying here a little longer will cause trouble, you already saw what happen to Thorin."

"Yeah I saw that."

"Darrius." Alistair voice heard, coming towards us and got us to turn our heads towards him "We have to go, Duncan has made a deal with the elven king."

"Well that was quick…"

"You know I could take you for a walk outside if that is what you want." Ariane said

"Yeah but…"

"I don't think we all have to be there when we hear the proposal."

"And what about Thorin?" Ariane asks

"He is actually there. He is calm but I don't like it, he is bound to draw a sword out to attack."

"I really doubt he would actually do that." I said to Alistair "Unless he wants to die here."

"Well it will be a while." Alistair turns back "You guys can do what you want, I'll let Duncan know."

"Thanks Alistair." I look back towards Ariane "Shall we?"

"Yes." She nods and turns back "Come on, I'll keep an eye on you."

Together the two of us made our way outside while the whole team was back to the throne room to speak to Thranduil. I notice that Legolas would probably be there with his father, Tauriel on the other hand, not sure, she is right now but is patrolling the outside or is in the throne room with the others. It will just be Ariane and myself outside, taking a breather in to feel the nice breeze blowing through, seeing that the sun is close down, only the light through the trees shine over this land close to the entrance of the elven city.

I breathe in when walking over the narrow bridge out of the gate, walking through into the forest with Ariane but I stopped for the moment. I spread my arms and close my eyes, feeling the nice breeze flowing through my body.

I sighs before speaking to her "How does it feel to return to this place again?"

"It feels the same as the last time I was here. It doesn't look anything better…"

"Figured as much… You elves do live for a long time and never change a thing here."

"I haven't finished…" She turns towards me "After what I saw in the forest, it looks like the darkness is slowly reaching to the front of the gate. I don't know how far it has been but since Velanna said that it lies in Dol Guldur… I'm guessing that most of the forest is now corrupted."

"So your king is making this happen?"

"I don't know why he is letting this happen." She looks forward and takes a couple of steps towards the forest "But after seeing all of this… Thorin was right about not trusting King Thranduil; he is pretty much doing similar things here."

"Do you think everything will change between the two races if both got what they want?"

"I highly doubt it." She turns towards me "But it's a start."

"What do you think you elves should do?"

"Well for starters." She comes back towards me "We should stop hiding in the shadows, hiding in the darkness where the light will eventually shine no more in those halls." She looks towards the entrance for a second then back to me. "Velanna was right about rebelling against the king, fighting alone in the forest but she can't do this alone. It's time that we change or else we will fall corrupted like the orcs."

"I feel the same way you do." Tauriel appears out of the entrance and approaches us, getting us to turn towards her when she said that.

"Tauriel."

"You fear the darkness too?" I asked her

"Of course… I refuse to let darkness overcome us. We are part of this world; I cannot allow innocent people to die while we wait here."

"You know… What you said about both Rhun and Gondor, using the war against the Darkspawn as advantage to obtain profit. It appears King Thranduil now thought the same way, he's probably making that deal right now."

"I know."

"One more thing I want to know." I look towards Ariane "What are you going to do now? I seriously doubt you will come with us to Erebor."

"I am needed here." Ariane said "I have been gone for far too long, I will return to my duties then if it's possible, I will join King Thranduil to Erebor if he accepts the deal for it."

"If you don't mind… I must return to my post." Tauriel walks past us and heads off somewhere in the forest while we stood there watching her leave.

"So what's the deal with her?" I asked Ariane

"It's nothing." She turns back towards the entrance "Come on, we wasted too much time." She begins walking back inside the elven kingdom.

"By the way Ariane." I chase after her, getting her to stop while I stay behind her "Thanks for the help."

"It is not a problem, you saved me and I repay the favour." She soon keeps walking, returning to the throne room with myself following her from behind.


	8. Chapter 6

The deal was made, inside the elven kingdom, King Thranduil allowed the company to set out to reach Erebor, he even delivered us a boat so we can sail through the lake and reach the other side where we will finally make it to our destination. We accepted this and we wanted to get out of here as quickly as we can, making sure that he does not change his mind or cause trouble with the dwarves. This also felt relief for Thorin and Fili and Kili, seeing that they really wanted to get out of there, now it is just seven of us now while Ariane stayed behind to be with her people.

This also gave me the time to speak to Thorin as he stands at the front of the boat, looking out through the mist as a fog comes forth over the lake. I would move towards Thorin with caution, making sure that I keep my distance so I could speak to him and not cause trouble with him, after all, he a lot of stuff to think about and I want to know what one of them is.

"Thorin…"

"What is it, Darrius?" Thorin asks, not moving an inch towards me

"Out there is Erebor right?" I step closer to see that Thorin did not mind.

"What of it?"

"You nervous?"

"Why would I be nervous?" He turn his head slightly towards me, only seeing his left eye aiming at me

"I'm just saying, you are about to become king of the dwarves of Erebor. This isn't just a quest to fetch something; this is about becoming the leader of a big nation."

"I know…"

"I know it was bad for you to accept the help of the elves, at least they allowed this quest to happen, if they didn't help us then we –"

"Why do you care about the elves?" Thorin turns towards me and took a few steps forward while I took a step back from him "Why are you so fixated on the elves anyway?"

"Because those elves fought alongside the men of the west. My father fought alongside the elves."

"Is that so…" He took a step back then looks to the side "And where is your father?"

"…. Dead."

"Thought so." He turns back

"Hey it's not like they went and killed him, what he did is protect Arnor against the Darkspawn. He fought against so many odds on the battlefield, eventually giving us time to counterattack against the Darkspawn. My father gave the elves the time to push the Darkspawn back, that there is why I care about the elves and their strength and nobility."

"And what do you think about dwarves?"

"Well –"

"There it is!" Fili calls out to everyone as he comes running to the side of the boat, looking out to the left side until he stops when standing on the front. "Erebor!'

Thorin came over to the side where Kili is and so did everyone else who came moving to the side of the boat, getting a good look in the far distance as they could see the mountain of Erebor. This huge mountain, home to the Darkspawn and holds the greatest riches of treasure in Middle-Earth.

"So that is the mountain… Where we must go."

"And that is where the dragon lies." Duncan said when stepping forward. He turn his head towards me when I look back at him "That there is where the quest lies, we either kill the dragon or cause a war."

"Well I'm ready to face a dragon." Mhairi said when turning towards Duncan "We will take good care of that dragon."

"Yeah well I seriously doubt the dragon will be helpless against all of us coming from behind." Alistair said when looking to Mhairi

"Why do you have to be so negative?"

"I'm just saying… Killing an Archdemon isn't just a walk in the park."

"He is right you know…" I said when looking towards Mhairi

"Darrius…" Mhairi looks at me "I thought you would be on my side."

"Well I would be on your side if you ever killed a dragon in your life."

"W-Well.. I…."

"See." Alistair turns back and walks away, having Duncan to follow him

Mhairi sighs and walks on the other side of the boat "Whatever…."

"So that's Erebor…" I look back to Thorin as he keeps his eye towards the mountain "Our quest is soon to end."

"We can't really call it an end." Fili said as he stood next to me, getting my attention when I turn towards him "Because we still need to take Erebor from the Darkspawn, which will probably won't be easy to do it."

"We will get it done." Thorin intervenes, getting the two of us to turn towards him "The Grey Wardens will win in this victory."

"Yeah well I hope you are right about that Thorin, after all we are just recruits."

The ship continues its sail across the lake and straight to the north where we will soon to make land on the rough terrain, seeing that the terrain was rough and high so we would have to travel upwards, over the mountains until we reach our destination. Once we made a landing, the elven ship returns back home while we press on, all of us went up the steep hill in a line. This will surely take an hour or so before we reach the sight of Dale, the remnants of the men of the north.

Thorin and his dwarves were the first to reach the top of the hill where they got the look of the city of Dale and the great dwarven city of Erebor. Soon all of us made it there, standing in a line and checking a good at this beautiful view of the place, soon to change if the Darkspawn come swarming out of Erebor anytime soon. One thing that would get our attention was the city of Dale, seeing that there is people inside that city, knowing that both the forces of Gondor and Rhun are there and are ready for combat, seeing that we are probably late right now but we are still on time.

The great city of Dale populated with a handful of Easterlings and Gondor soldiers, all armed to the teeth, ready for an all-out assault and defence against the Darkspawn. They have already set up watches over the broken walls, placed camps inside and using the destroyed buildings as resorts while some places should not be touched because of the bodies still lays there since the start of the Darkspawn.

We would end up going through the back entrance of Dale as a patrol discovered us, escorting us to Dale and brought the two leaders of this operation towards us by sending a rider to tell them before we arrive. All of us made our way through into the city, getting a look at this destroyed town until we look forward, seeing the two leaders of both Rhun and Gondor. Nathaniel Howe was the one commanding the forces of Gondor, commanding an army of seven thousand-five hundred Gondorian troops. The leader commanding the Easterlings would be Riordan, commanding officer of five thousand-five hundred Easterlings, making thirteen thousand soldiers in total, stationed in Dale, ready to fight the Darkspawn and take Erebor.

Both Riordan and Nathaniel came over to the company, getting Duncan to take the lead with Alistair behind them, greeting the two leaders as they approach us. "Duncan!" Riordan spoke out first, walking closer to Duncan for a handshake.

"Commander Riordan." Duncan shakes his hand "I didn't expect you would…."

"Expect a warm welcome?" He steps back "I am glad that you at long last made it, I was starting to worry that we would have to begin the campaign without your help."

"I know… We are late but we had to deal with some certain problems."

"Well I'm glad that you arrived before midnight, I'm sure the Darkspawn will arrive shortly."

Nathaniel would step forward to introduce himself to the company "It's good to see more Grey Wardens here. My name is Nathaniel Howe, commander of the Gondorian forces."

"It's good to see Gondor and Rhun uniting under one banner." Mhairi said who stood behind Alistair and showed herself to the two leaders "It's good to see Gondor here."

"There was a time that we wouldn't be here." Nathaniel said "But we pour in a lot of resources and strength in order to arrive here." He turns to Riordan "When I heard the Grey Wardens have a plan to destroy the Archdemon and end the war, there is no way that Gondor will refuse this offer."

"It is a good thing that you are here but with Duncan here, we can at last begin the campaign to eradicate the Darkspawn." Riordan said to Nathaniel

"I take it the plan is already in set?" Duncan asks

"Come with us to the tent." Riordan turns to the side, allowing the company through "We will explain it there."

We followed the leaders inside the city of Dale, getting a look at the place as many soldiers are patrolling around the area in packs, moving around just to get themselves ready for a fight that is soon to happen. At halfway, the others and I would go off elsewhere, leaving Duncan, Alistair and Thorin to speak to the leaders while we take a break somewhere, finding somewhere so we can sit down and relax. All of us sat down to relax while Alistair was the only one who was still standing, looking out to the main building where Duncan and the others went.

"Alistair, calm down." Mhairi said when taking off her helmet and letting a deep sighs

"I should be in there." Alistair said when looking back to the company

"Duncan will take care of it and so will Thorin."

"Just what is Thorin going to do anyway in there?"

"He's going to give them information on the secret tunnel in Erebor." Fili said

"Yeah…. Once this is done, we have to go to Erebor without being seen." Kili said

"Easy for you to say." I spoke to the two dwarves "One does not simply walk right into Erebor and not get the attention of the Darkspawn army."

"Which is why we need to sneak in while the Darkspawn army attack Dale." Mhairi said

"But there's going to be a time limit though." Fili said

"We'll handle it." Kili responds

"Well…" I slowly got up off the ground, stretch my arms, and body "I think it's time that we go for a walk around the place." I look towards Alistair "You want to join me Alistair?'

"Yeah I guess so."

"You guys can get some rest; I bet it will be a while before anything good happens." I said to the three before walking off somewhere with Alistair

Mhairi sighs while leaning back, moving her hands over the side of her chest plate "Wish there was a place where I can get this armour off, I'm getting so sweaty with it."

"Could always lose the armour right here." Kili said with a smile on his face

Mhairi looks back to him "Pervert."

Both Alistair and I went through the crowd of the soldiers, making our way towards the walls where we can get a good look at the place of the battlefield where it is all going to take place. We got up there and stood next to some Easterlings who stood there, all looking out at the view and so us as we came together looking across the view. We did notice that the braziers are light in Erebor, seeing that the Darkspawn knows that we are here but they have not made their move yet and neither have we.

"Get a look at this view." I said to Alistair "Erebor lies just ahead of us…"

"Yeah… Protected by thousands and thousands of Darkspawn…."

"And a dragon." One of the Easterlings said when turning his head to us "A large fire breathing dragon that will swoop down upon us."

"Oh yeah…." Alistair said then looks back out to Erebor again "Swooping… Is bad."

"I can't wait to face that dragon." Someone said that who came from behind us, coming up here to join us on the wall. The man did not wear Gondor armour or Rhun armour but he belong to Lake-Town.

"Who are you?" I asked him

"Call me Bard." He responds "And I am a Grey Warden."

"No way…" Alistair turns towards him "You're a Grey Warden?"

"I know you two are Grey Wardens, I saw you all entering the city."

"We came here from Arnor." I said to him "What about you?"

"I came from Lake-Town."

"Lake-Town…."

"Yeah…. The dragon destroyed it…" He looks back towards Erebor "That dragon destroyed everything; it burned everything I loved and everything I cherished, which is why I want to be the one to kill it."

"Well join the club." I said to him "We all lost someone in the war against the Darkspawn."

"I haven't." Alistair said

'You are not helping."

"Hey I was being nice."

"It doesn't matter anymore." Bard said as he continues staring out at the entrance of Erebor "I want that dragon."

"And if you fail?" I ask "Then we would have to kill the dragon."

"I don't care." Bard turns back "If I die then so be it." He then walks away off the wall, going away somewhere else

"Well… That was interesting." Alistair said when looking back to Bard as he leaves

"I do feel sorry for him." I said when also looking back at Bard "I know exactly how he feels right now."

"Everyone has lost precious people because of the Darkspawn." A female spoke who came towards them on the side of the wall "Everyone from across Middle-Earth has lost someone."

Both Alistair and I turn towards the woman, seeing she wore a light armour made from Rhun. She had her armour black while some parts like her skirt and leggings and the outlines of her armour has darker red that matches her hair. She stood there looking at the three, slightly bowing to us while we stood there looking back at her.

"Well hello there." I said when stepping forward with a smile on my face, lending my hand out to her "My name is Darrius… This here is my friend Alistair."

"Makers breath…" Alistair mumbled to himself, he rolled his eyes and looking away

"Pleasure to meet you." She lends her hand out and shakes his hand "My name is Leliana, lieutenant to the Easterlings of Dale."

"I see… You're second in command."

"Well I had to." She looks out at the people on the ground then looks back to me "Riordan assisted that I should go."

"So… He's a good friend to you?"

"Not really…." Her eyes turns to the side "To be honest I wanted to come here and I was so glad that Riordan called for me to assist him. The maker knew that I would do something big, which is why I came here."

"So that is why a beautiful, charming woman like yourself wondered all the way out here."

She slightly laughs "And there are no beautiful, charming woman around here in Dale?"

"Those women can't have been lovelier than you."

"Why… Thank you so much."

"Alistair. Darrius!" Mhairi calls out to us who stood at the ground; looking up at us as we all turn our heads towards her "The Grey Wardens wishes to see us all."

"I guess it's time." Alistair said then starts walking back down

I look back to Leliana "Well now… I guess… Good luck out there; let us hope that the maker is really on your side because we really need a miracle to get rid of the Archdemon."

"Good luck to you too… Darrius."

I nod to her before taking my leave from the wall and followed Alistair and Mhairi off to the main building of Dale, there we will meet with Duncan, Riordan and Bard as well who awaits us. When we made it to the entrance, I spot Thorin taking his leave from the building and goes off to see Fili and Kili. Nathaniel was still inside the building, speaking to both Riordan and Duncan but soon takes his leave, seeing him walking out of here just when we entered the room, getting Duncan and Riordan looking back at us.

"Were all here." Mhairi said

"What did you all talk about?" Alistair asks

"We were talking about the plan of attack against the Darkspawn." Riordan said "Thanks to Thorin and his map, we have a chance of killing the Archdemon before it escapes."

"So is there any problem?" I ask the two "Because it looks like there is more of what your about to say."

"That is right." Duncan said then looks to Riordan then looks back to us three "There is something you all need to know… There is a reason why only a Grey Warden must deliver the final blow to the Archdemon."

"I assume it's just chopping off the head and the army will die?" I asks

"I wish that would be easy…" Riordan said when stepping forward "We have discovered that if a regular person kills the Archdemon, the soul of the Archdemon will wither away into the closest Darkspawn where it can take control and reborn as the Archdemon."

"Seriously?" Mhairi said, she looks to the side, seeing Bard approaching her and standing to the side of her

"Yes." Duncan said "This happened before… The Archdemon attacked Gondor and that there is when we found a way of defeating the dragon, which was the birth of becoming a Grey Warden."

"What do you mean?"

"The truth behind the Grey Warden is by research from those who plans to find some type of cure of a way of defeating the blight. The first Grey Warden, he fought Dumat and killed him and on that death, Dumat and his soul went inside that Grey Warden, killing him instantly."

"Wait… Dumat is dead?" I asked the two

"Yes." Duncan respond "Dumat is dead and we should keep it that way, the dragon now that controls the Darkspawn is called 'Zazikel'."

"Why was this a secret?"

"Because there is two stories and one must not be told. Become a Grey Warden is a big test of just how far you will go in order to reach to the end. We must accept the sacrifice no matter what, that is why we kept it a secret for all these years, knowing that once you become a Grey Warden, it all reverts in certain death when fighting the Darkspawn and the Archdemon."

"What he means is that if people find out the whole truth about Grey Wardens then it will be difficult to train more recruits." Riordan said "People would be afraid, they would not accept the quest and take up arms and die in the end. You must understand something, the blight is a terrible foe and there is no way around it, the Grey Wardens are the only ones who can finish this through to the end."

"One thing I don't understand, just how did the Darkspawn get another dragon?"

"We don't know just where the dragon Zazikel came from, all we know is that the Darkspawn found a strong dragon and somehow it became the new Archdemon." Duncan said "It is possible that if a dragon in this age would fall to the taint, the Darkspawn would try to turn it into an Archdemon so they could continue."

"So there's six of us and one of us is going to die when fighting the Archdemon." Alistair said

"If it comes to who will deliver the blow then allow us to do it." Riordan steps forward "We have stayed as a Grey Warden for too long, allow us to handle the Grey Wardens but if we fail then it is up to you all to decide who will die."

"So I assume that were all going inside Erebor?" Mhairi asks

"No." Riordan said "Thorin and his dwarves will join the Grey Wardens of our choosing on sneaking inside Erebor, the rest of us will stay out here while fighting the Darkspawn. If we have all of us going through there, there may be a chance of defeating the Archdemon but if it escapes then it will be impossible for us to kill it."

"So who is going in then?" Alistair asks

"I will go inside Erebor." Duncan said then looks to Riordan "I will take Alistair and Darrius with me."

"What?" Mhairi intervenes "I won't be going into Erebor?"

"We need Grey Wardens out here in case the plan fails, like we said before, if the Archdemon escapes Erebor then it will be impossible to chase after it."

"I…. Guess so…"

"So it's a fifty-fifty chance of killing the dragon huh?"

"But why bring the dwarves?" Bard asks "Why should they go into Erebor, there not Grey Wardens."

"They know the entrance and they will unlock it if they join us so you will be stuck with them."

"But what about Gandalf?" I ask "Shouldn't Gandalf be here, along with the elves and dwarves?"

"They will arrive shortly after the battle is over but if we fail then they will be our last chance of taking the dragon out. I don't know if Gandalf will arrive, we can't wait any longer."

"The dwarves said that time is almost up and we need to get to the mountain right away." Riordan said

"Then what the hell are we waiting for?" I ask "Let's go."

"Well you're surely ready for this." Mhairi said "Charging into danger in Erebor."

"Well we got no choice here now do we? Staying around takes too long, I say we do what we are meant to do and kill the dragon."

"I guess were ready then…" Riordan said then looks to Duncan "I will call Nathaniel and get him to send his men in position, the time has come."

"Agreed… Let's go see Thorin and the others and tell them that we are ready. The battle for Erebor is soon to arrive."


	9. Chapter 7

The company sets off in the middle of the night in the cover of the mist as we leave the city of Dale, hoping that this will be our last time we will be together as the moment we find the doorway into Erebor; this here is when bad things happen. The enemy will get into their position while the Grey Wardens, Gondor and Rhun establishing their foothold in Dale, ready themselves to take on tens of thousands of Darkspawn hordes that will spore out of the entrance of Erebor. This here is when we get further into danger and not far away from it, instead of going the other way; we are going straight inside the main source. The belly of the beast.

We came out there in torches and moves across the cliffs in the west to find the hidden door, making sure we do not get spotted by the Darkspawn or else things will get slower. This became harder for the company, seeing it is dark and hard to find the doorway, seeing that it will not be long before the light of the full moon will reveal itself and shine through the keyhole where the key must go through.

Thorin stops and checks a look at the map while Kili was holding the torch for him, seeing if they are right, the doorway should be somewhere around here. "If this map is right…" Thorin spoke out "Then the doorway should be right on top of us."

We spread out to cover more ground when moving across the field until eventually I came across the location of the entrance to the doorway. I discover this when standing closer to the rocks, seeing a zigzag up a sheer rock stage. I look up at this stairway and notices it reaches high up the mountain that is has a large dwarven statue next to it, seeing that we could take the stairway and lead to the top of the axe of the dwarven statue.

"I found it!" I called out, looking back to those who wield the torches. "I found the stairway."

Thorin and the others quickly rush over towards me, getting a slight look at it as we could see it well once the mist was moving away. "You have a keen eye, Darrius." Thorin said to me, having a smile on his face as he looks up at the stairway

"Oh damnit…" Alistair sighs when looking at it "We have to climb all the way up there?"

"Afraid of heights?" I ask Alistair

"Kind of…."

"Come on…" I move straight towards the stairway, being the first to climb up these steps

As we prepare ourselves for the high steps and the afraid of heights, I know that the Darkspawn would eventually begin coming out of Erebor the moment they are ready. The people of Dale would already be ready for them, seeing that they want to face them here in the city and not in the open. I know that Gondor has brought some extra firepower into the fight; bringing catapults that shoots like a trebuchet while the Easterlings only brought their regular looking equipment when fighting against the Darkspawn. They place many of their men who are archers while Gondor stays in the middle, letting the Easterlings defend the walls and the gate while they stay back.

Nathaniel and Riordan was making their way to the edge of a platform that was once a building where the ruler was meant to be, it is seen that there is a stone throne there but the whole roof and the walls are gone. Both of them stood at the edge while looking at Erebor, getting a good look at the view, seeing the Darkspawn are slowly coming out of the gate due to seeing many torches lit.

"The plan will work, Nathaniel." Riordan said to him

"It better work…" Nathaniel said "The blight ends here…"

Leliana was approaching the two, staying behind them and reporting in. "All of our patrols have returned." She spoke out, getting Riordan to look back "We are ready."

"Thank you." Riordan said "Now get in position on the wall."

"Understood sir." She turns back and begins walking back to her post, joining the Easterlings on the wall.

"All they have to do is attack the main gate; if we hold it then we will prevail." Nathaniel said "Let's hope your men can hold it."

"You should also send your men across the city as well." Riordan said to him "These walls are weak; they have not been repaired since the Darkspawn attacked here. They could easily break them down."

"Then I'll get right on it." He turns back and walks off somewhere, soon to stop and looks back to Riordan "Riordan… If this works… You know what will happen next right?"

Riordan looks back to him "I know… Good luck out there."

"You too." He looks forward and walks off, seeing Leliana standing nearby and ordering some Easterlings getting up on the wall. Nathaniel looks at her as he walks off, getting her to look back at him before going onto the wall and drawing out her bow.

The army of Darkspawn slowly approaches the city of Dale as they are taking their sweet time to get here, slowly walking through the mist over the field, soon to stop then they reach halfway of the land. Tens of thousands of Darkspawn can be seen, getting a big look at them all as more still come out of the gate. The Darkspawn stood in a large square formation, they await for a Darkspawn captain to come at the front, looking out at the city, and prepares for a charge.

"So it begins…" Riordan mumbled to himself then moves into position before they charge.

The Darkspawn captain drew out its large great sword then swung forth, signalling the Darkspawn to go charging towards the city of Dale once again. The Darkspawn began forming into a triangle at the front, seeing shrieks moving faster and ogres simply walk while the Darkspawn run past them. Once they are in range, the Easterlings will draw out arrows and aim them into the sky, once they are in range they will unleash hundreds of arrows across the field that could take out many Darkspawn.

Once they are in range, Leliana calls out to her men "Fire!"

The archers let loose their arrows across the field, taking out a handful of Darkspawn but they continue coming as if nothing happened. Leliana and everyone on the wall began drawing more arrows, continues firing across the field while Gondor prepares to assist them. Gondor already got their catapults at the ready, placing them on the highest points so they could use large rocks or some stone pieces from the city and light them on fire to launch. They were ready to attack; once they got the signal, they will launch all four of these catapults from the city, sending these flaming balls across the sky and comes smashing hard through the Darkspawn.

The archers continues firing while the catapults need some time to fire again, seeing that the Darkspawn are getting so close of reaching the walls, this got them to fight back. One of the ogres that was near the wall grabs a hold of a boulder on the ground, lifting it up over its shoulder then throws it across the field, smashing the top of the wall and sending several men falling off of the wall. The Darkspawn also got close enough to shoot arrows at the Easterlings on the wall, hitting some of them and sending them falling off the wall but they continue to stay and keep firing arrows down at the Darkspawn.

The bridge that leads into the city of Dale would soon to have the Darkspawn running over it, having a large ogre taking the lead while the Darkspawn stays behind it. The archers on the top of the entrance let loose a handful of arrows at the same time, shooting down at the ogre while it keeps moving. The Easterlings that stood at the entrance, they held their shields forward and their spears ready. The front row of the Easterlings decided to throw their spears towards that ogre, as it was not slowing down, only two spears hits the ogre and finally, the ogre collapses backwards and crushes six Darkspawn. The rest of the Darkspawn would run over the dead ogre, charging straight into the Easterlings defence by ramming hard against their shields and pushing them back a bit.

Meanwhile, back at the doorway that leads into Erebor, the whole company made it up there but Alistair was the only one who was still shivering, either he is shivering in fear from climbing all of that or it is a long way down. Alistair would stand near the side close to the location where the door is, I of course wanted to be funny by grabbing Alistair from behind, shaking him and causing him to jump and turn back to me.

"Son of a bitch!" He shouts when trying to punch me across the face

I back away once I saw it coming "Hey you almost hit me."

"Yeah well you almost sent me off the mountain."

"Quiet!" Thorin shouts when looking at the stonewall, looking around to find the keyhole but could not find such a thing

"Is it here?" Duncan asks

"It has to be here…." Thorin looks up, seeing the moon still covered up by the clouds "We need moonlight."

"Well it's not like we can change the clouds." I spoke out when standing closer to the entrance with my arms closed

"Here it comes…" Fili calls out when pointing towards the moon, seeing the clouds finally dispersing and allowing the moon to shine over this land.

Thorin looks at the moon then back at the wall, slowly moving his eyes left to right while trying to find where the moonlight is shining. Once he got the lock on the keyhole, seeing he finally found it, he took out the key and slowly moves closer to the keyhole, there he slowly places the key inside, turning it clockwise. He could hear some mechanism noises heard from within, seeing that he activated the door by the key. Thorin would back away while getting a look at the door; he soon presses his hands against the door and pushes as hard as he can, at last the door opens right up for them to enter.

Thorin looks through, seeing a small dark passageway into the mountain. Both Fili and Kili were next to get a look from within, seeing the great stoneworks of Erebor, showing a moment together as they slowly press on into the passage. Thorin gazes upon the walls; he touches the one in front of him with his left hand, smiling and sighs relief.

"I recognise these halls…" Thorin said to himself while having his hand on the wall, getting him to gaze around before looking straight ahead

Everyone else slowly came in once Thorin and the others moves further within, we slowly move in quietly and got us men to duck down, only because the door was so small that only dwarves could walk in normally.

"This is it." Thorin said to himself "This is Erebor….."

Fili grabs his shoulder and got Thorin to look back at him "Were not out of the fight yet."

"He's right." Duncan steps forward "We have a job to do here."

Thorin looks back at Duncan for the moment, slowly looking back and showing a furious mad look as he started to realise why he is here. "The Archdemon…." He mumbled that name.

"It's here…" Alistair said then takes a deep breath

"You nervous?" I spoke to Alistair

"Are you?"

"Well… This is not the first time I once fought a dragon."

"It is far bigger than what you fought." Duncan said then draws out his two swords "Let us be done with this before the Archdemon is awakened."

Back at the city of Dale, the Easterlings held onto the attacking Darkspawn as the Darkspawn come storming over the bridge and crashing against their shields. The Easterlings moves back, trying to use their swords or spears to hit the Darkspawn, even the archers on the wall assist them on shooting the Darkspawn on the bridge to give them less trouble. Leliana would be one of them, taking out three arrows and firing across the bridge, knocking down three Darkspawn.

The battle was getting serious as the Darkspawn made it against the walls and the front entrance, seeing that they try to get the ogres to climb over the wall, getting the archers to retreat off the wall and continues shooting at the ogres, trying to kick them off. The army of Gondor stood at the bottom when seeing them climbing over, this here will soon bring them into action but the Easterlings got this under control.

Very soon, the Darkspawn make their own entrance into Dale by using one-armoured ogres as a battering ram. This ogre was running through the crowd, running straight towards the wall and ignoring the arrows that are deflecting from it. The ogre would not use its hands but its head instead, once close enough, it leaps forward, using its armoured head and hits hard against the wall, causing the wall to crumble and sending almost twelve Easterlings falling off the top wall. The Darkspawn will come rushing inside the city like a water through a dam; they rush right in while that ogre falls onto the ground.

The Gondorian soldiers held their ground when the Darkspawn charges right in, seeing they are no match as they are not in formation, causing the Darkspawn to overrun them and get the Darkspawn swarming over the city. The Gondorian soldiers try to hold them, seeing that the Darkspawn are stretch in so quickly, this here is when Nathaniel comes into play with his forces of Gondor who rallies behind him.

Riordan was on the ground near the walls, drawing his swords and looking to Mhairi and Bard as they stood nearby, seeing a handful of soldiers running around as they try to defend other people's position. Riordan would call upon a handful of Easterlings to him, also bringing Mhairi and Bard to follow him as they go running across the path and soon going straight into the Darkspawn. The Darkspawn charges straight towards them and so do they, they soon go crashing against each other, holding grounds on both sides as they go clashing swords together. Riordan held his ground when slicing his swords forward, cutting down the Darkspawn in front of him while both Bard and Mhairi stood on both sides, clashing against them and trying to push them back.

The forces in the city try to hold off against the Darkspawn when they try storming through the streets and through the buildings, it also got harder when the ogre's came through and climb over the walls. The archers and the catapults continues firing, taking out as many as they can before they are force to retreat and regroup to fight back against the Darkspawn. This here is become a serious street fight across the city as both sides are trying their very best in order to achieve a total victory.

Back inside Erebor, we pass through this amazing labyrinth like place, having steps going up and down, left to right like a weird maze. We have kept our heads down when seeing Darkspawn running around, seeing that most of them have not left Erebor yet and are probably going outside right now. We kept our distance for now, not wanting to bring the Darkspawn army back so we continue moving down the stairway, going to hunt down the Archdemon with the element of surprise.

"There's one more thing I should let you know." Duncan whispers to Alistair and me "That once we fight the Archdemon, it will surely contact the other Darkspawn."

"What?" Alistair looks back at him

"You never told us that…." I said to him

"Don't worry… We will be fine?"

"Fine? Who is stopping that Archdemon from recalling his whole army back?"

"Well…..."

"Come on." Thorin said when looking back towards us, seeing he is taking the lead while he slowly moves down the steps "I don't want to deal with any screw ups."

"We'll be fine." Duncan walks past us and follows Thorin down to the lower chambers of Erebor.

We went down further inside Erebor, seeing this dark place that a foul smell laid inside this place, not sure, where we are going but we soon end up stopping when heard the noises, the loud roar and flame of the dragon that lurks deep. The dragon lurks deeper within, inside the main place where Thorin wishes to go, to the great chambers where the greatest treasure of all of Middle-Earth lies, protected by the Darkspawn and the Archdemon that has the same love for gold as they do.

"Come on." Thorin said as he goes deeper down, going straight towards the bright yellow light that he could see down below, knowing what it is.

Down below where we travel down undetected, hiding from the Darkspawn that appears moving across our sight and going out of Erebor. We continued moving until we hear the loud roar of the dragon, the roar of the beast that has awakened. We stopped when we heard the noise, this here is when we stop for the moment but Thorin kept moving down the stairways until he stops by the bottom and walks to the ledge, having his eyes widen and astonished when seeing the great riches of Erebor. The whole place covered in so much gold, this soon got all of us to stop as he gaze upon the treasures of Erebor. We could not imagine seeing so much treasure in a place like this, seeing that this here is the whole reason why everyone wants the Archdemon gone.

"Makers breath…" I mumbled to myself "There really is a golden city…."

"A golden city consumed by the blight." Alistair said "Turning it into the black city."

"And a city that can still be taken back." Kili said

"And that it shall…." Thorin looks to Fili "Come on."

Fili looks to the right and starts walking down another stairway that reaches down there. He keeps walking down while looking at the treasure, soon to stop at halfway when an arrow suddenly came out of the shadows and hits him. An arrow that hits his chest, causing us to turn towards him when hearing him to groan and soon collapses, falling down the rest of the stairs and hitting hard onto the ground with the piece of the arrow still stuck inside of him.

"Fili!" Kili calls to him, he looks out when seeing the Darkspawn on another platform, aiming their bows towards them and firing at them.

"Take cover!" Alistair calls out, drawing his sword and shield and protects Kili by blocking two arrows with his shield.

Kili takes aim with his bow and fires across the area, hitting a Darkspawn through the chest and sending it off the platform. Thorin would go running down the stairway and so does the rest of us except for Kili and Alistair; they stayed at the top, having Kili shooting back at the Darkspawn while Alistair protects him. Alistair would have to use his sword soon, seeing Darkspawn coming down the stairs behind them, getting Alistair to defend himself when fighting some of the Darkspawn.

"Come on!" Thorin said while looking at Kili and Alistair "We have to keep moving!"

"Come on Fili." I said when grabbing his arm and helping him up off the ground. I look towards the hallway on our right, seeing some Darkspawn storming through there. "Duncan!"

"I am on it." He charges forward to defend us by clashing against the Darkspawn, striking them down one by one so quickly.

The Darkspawn were trying to push us into a corner, seeing that they know we are here now, they will try to hold us from getting closer to the Archdemon. The Darkspawn held us for a while until we eventually killed them all, causing us to make a run for it by running down a long hallway with myself holding Fili as he still got a half an arrow stuck inside his chest. We took down twelve Darkspawn until we came across a room, a room full of pots and ingredients as if it was an apothecary room.

Just when we all came rushing into this room, Kili took point by watching over the door, firing two arrows at Darkspawn that was charging towards us. Both Alistair and Thorin place Fili onto a table while I stood with Duncan, standing behind Kili. Once he had no more arrows, Duncan and myself charges through the doorway and clashes against the Darkspawn, I kick down one then strikes through another while Duncan stayed behind me.

We kept advancing while striking down the Darkspawn, having Kili returning to Fili to see if he is all right while Alistair and Thorin stayed by his side, placing their hands over the wound and leave the arrow inside. Fili was in pain thanks to the arrow, it is possible that he might fall to the taint of the Darkspawn and will cause serious pain, pulling the arrow will not make any different besides spilling blood everywhere if they pull it out. They are running out of options right now, seeing that he will not make it for much longer.

"We have to do something?" Kili asks when looking to Alistair "I can't let my brother to die!"

"I know!" Thorin said "Let me think."

I came rushing back inside the room while Duncan was still busy fighting the Darkspawn. "Is he going to be alright?"

"The arrow is lodged through his gut." Alistair said "He won't live much longer."

Fili grabs a hold of Thorin's chest, holding tight while slowly trying to raise his head up a bit to look at him. "Thorin…. You know… W-What.. You have to do."

"Fili…"

"He's got the Darkspawn taint him?" I look towards Alistair, seeing him nod "Can we –"

"We can't make him into a Grey Warden." Alistair said "You know why…"

"You know what you have to do." Duncan comes back after dealing with the Darkspawn, standing next to me and still held onto his bloodied swords "The taint is spreading, he will slowly die."

Kili was speechless when looking back and forth towards Thorin then us then to Fili; he had his mouth open but had no idea what to say until he looks back to Fili as he looks back towards him. Fili would draw out a dagger from his waist and slowly raise it up towards Kili, wanting him to grab his hand and the dagger. All of us just watch but I could not stand here anymore, watching this happen, so I end up turning back and walk out of this room, checking the hallway to see if there is any more sign of Darkspawn.

I move on ahead, over the bodies of the Darkspawn and reaching to this long open narrow bridge that could reach far away to the other side to this small doorway. It felt too quiet and I stayed in cover, that was until Alistair grabbed my shoulder, making me jump and moved my sword back but I stopped when I realise who it was.

"Alistair…"

"Fili is dead."

"….."

Alistair looks back then looks back to me again "Any sign of the dragon."

"I… It is impossible to actually find a dragon in a place like this."

"Well we better hurry; everyone is counting on us to kill the dragon."

"You don't have to tell me that. I know everyone is counting on us."

"We should make our way to the treasure." Thorin appears behind us, getting us to turn our heads towards him "The dragon must be sleeping in that pile of gold…"

"How is Kili?" I asked

"Kili will be fine." He turns back "Come on."

As we turn back to return to the others, just then we felt the tremor that lasted for a second, soon hearing the roar of the great beast that lurks within. All of us held our ground when feeling that shake but still felt a little shaken when hearing that, we stopped at what we were doing then looks back to one another.

"It's the dragon…" I said to Thorin when looking back

"It's nearby…."

I look back to Thorin "It's waking up."

"Then we have no time to waste." He starts running back into the room where the others are, interrupting the moment between Fili and Kili "The dragon is awake."

"We know…" Duncan said when looking to Thorin then towards me when I entered "The dragon is in the treasure vault."

"That is where we have to be." Alistair said

"Kili." Thorin approaches him while he still stares down at his brother, seeing a hole through his chest of where they stabbed him "We have to leave him, we will get him when this is all over, that way we can give him a proper burial."

"I want to kill them all…." Kili said when raising his head up then looks to Thorin in this rage look "I want to kill all of them."

The team was now one person short after losing Fili but they continue their move down the stairway and into the treasure room again. We made our walk over the riches of gold, making some slight sounds when we walk over it, trying not to make too much noise. We all moved slowly through with our weapons drawn, moving over the gold and looking straight ahead to find the dragon, it took us a while until eventually we stopped when hearing another tremor.

The Archdemon, seen moving around over the riches of gold, sending the gold flying in the air while it moves its wings and body around. The dragon must have woken up and started moving, moving over the gold and preparing to move out of here while we held our ground, hiding for now and getting a big look at this monstrosity.

"So that's the freaking dragon?" I asked when looking to Alistair and Duncan, seeing them looking back to me then I look back towards the dragon "So how are we going to do this?"

"You all will distract the dragon while I deliver the final blow." Duncan said "I trust that you two will succeed in helping of pushing the Darkspawn back underground?"

"You can count on us." Alistair said "And Duncan… May the maker watch over you."

"May the maker watch over all of us."

The dragon was still moving over the gold, reaching towards a large doorway where it will make its way into this huge hallway, which will lead it to the exit. Once it was getting closer, Kili made the first strike by firing two Darkspawn arrows at the same time, hitting the dragon in the neck. The dragon turns its head around, looking towards the team as we come running over the gold with our weapons ready, charging towards the dragon from behind. The dragon defends itself by swinging its tail around, trying to knock us back but we ducked on time.

The dragon turned around to face us head on, hitting both front legs hard on the ground and spreads its wings. We held our ground while the dragon raises its head up high, seeing the mouth has purple flames inside of it, ready to unleash flames upon us. All of us quickly ran in both directions, trying to avoid the dragon's flames while it lowers its head to unleash the flames upon us. We avoided the flames but took some burns, seeing the dragon is still unleashing flames while slowly moving backwards. Once the dragon stops with the fire, it reverts to its claws when it jumps in and the air and lands back onto the gold, turning its head towards us while we began charging towards it.

Duncan was moving to the side and allowing the team to attack the dragon while he tries to surprise attack it; he tries to get behind the dragon while it has its eyes towards us. Duncan moves behind it while it lets loose some flames in the area, causing us to retreat and soon noticing Duncan was behind it. The dragon attacks Duncan with its tail before he had a chance, hitting him and sending Duncan flying, crashing through the piles of gold, injuring himself in the process.

"Duncan!" Alistair calls to him

"Alistair look out!"

The dragon turns towards Alistair and lowers its head to try to bite him, only to fail when Alistair moves out of the way. I would try to assist Alistair by running towards the dragon from the side, swinging my sword to cut the neck of the dragon but the dragon uses its neck as a tail, moving towards me and hitting me back. Alistair will move towards Duncan while the dragon fixed on me, I was backing away while both Thorin and Kili were together nearby, not attacking the dragon yet while it moves towards me.

While I was taking steps back away from the dragon while it was stalking me, I soon realise that I sense more Darkspawn nearby. I look back through the doorway that leads to the huge hallway, I notice Darkspawn running towards us, here to defend their master.

"Thorin!" I called to him while looking back to the dragon "You and Kili, take care of the Darkspawn, we got this!"

Thorin looks to the doorway then towards us. He grabs Kili's shoulder "Come on, let's go!"

Both Thorin and Kili ran towards the large doorway to defend against the Darkspawn that was running towards them. While the Darkspawn are distracted, I focus on the dragon as it comes down to attack me, using its teeth to try to eat me alive. I ran towards the dragon when it tried to bite, I duck down on time and I swung my sword through the neck of the dragon while I keep moving, hearing the dragon yelling in pain as it raises its head up in the air. Duncan would use this as a distraction for him to deliver the final kill by jumping on top of it, lying on the top of it and crawls his way to a weak spot of the dragon's scales.

"Finish it!" Alistair shouts out to Duncan Not seeing the tail coming at him and hitting his shield, knocking him back and crashing into the gold. He lost his shield but he broke his arm in the process.

The dragon was still trying to win this fight, it still moves around while blood still spills over the wounds and Duncan could not be able to stab his sword through it yet. The dragon will now prepare a retreat for now, using its wings to take a leap through the air. I jumped out of the way before its claws hit me, same thing goes to both Thorin and Kili as they notice the dragon coming at them, causing them to run on both ways while the dragon crashes through the doorway. The dragon broke the side of the doorway as it comes through; it lands on the other side and crushes four Darkspawn in the process.

Both Thorin and Kili looks over the dragon while it was moving away, seeing Duncan on top of it and struggling to hold on. I would be running over to Alistair, seeing if he is all right but could no longer use his left arm anymore but could still swing a sword. I will help him up off the ground and together we move towards the others, seeing Thorin and Kili chasing after the dragon.

The dragon escapes Erebor by storming out of here through the gate of Erebor, crashing through and almost causing Duncan to fall off but luckily he stabbed his sword through the back of it on time. The dragon took flight into the sky after it was free, flying through the air but was struggling to stay up there. Duncan would try to kill the dragon but was difficult, having the gust of wind blowing over him and was harder for him to climb up there. The dragon would turn its body to the side to try to get Duncan off, sending Duncan rolling to the side and almost fell off but he used his second sword and cuts through the left wing. The dragon keeps flying while Duncan was holding on, sending Duncan up and down on the wing but it won't last long because his sword will start to cut down like ripping a piece of paper in half.

The soldiers of Dale notices the dragon while they continue fighting, Bard would be the one who stopped and noticed it. He sees the dragon a second time, he could not wait to kill it but he notices that the dragon was turning slightly to the side, heading towards Ravenhill.

Duncan could not last that long and very soon, his sword will go cutting all the way down, sending Duncan sliding down until there was nothing for his sword to cut anymore. His sword cuts all the way to the end, sending Duncan and the dragon falling from the sky. The dragon could not fly anymore due to the left wing is half cut through by the sword, sending the two to crash onto the ice of Ravenhill.


	10. Chapter 8

The Archdemon crashes hard into Ravenhill in the north, crashing hard through the ice and into the water. The dragon was still alive but could no longer use its wings anymore, unable to fly now it must revert to seek out help. The Darkspawn will get contact from the Archdemon, getting new orders. The orders are to come to the Archdemon, protect it while it recovers from the attack Duncan just did to it.

Inside the city of Dale, both Bard and Mhairi was teaming up with twenty men behind them, charging through the streets and crashing through the Darkspawn in the north side, trying to escape the city by going through the northern bridge. The Darkspawn were waiting for them and they clash hard against them, trying to push through so they could go after the Archdemon.

Leliana was running over to them while staying by Nathaniel's side, she soon stops when seeing some Darkspawn running towards her on her left. She and Nathaniel let loose arrows towards them, taking them out quickly before they could go after the Archdemon.

"You the dragon fell right?" Nathaniel asks Leliana while looking forward and moving down the street with an arrow on his bow

"I saw it." Leliana follows him from behind. She will look back to watch their backs, looking back to Nathaniel to ask something "What happen to Riordan?"

"I think I saw him in the town square, he will try to hold off against the Darkspawn while we try to take care of the dragon."

"I just hope the ones who went to Erebor are alright."

Speaking of the ones in Erebor, the four of us were struggling to escape after what the Archdemon just did and after what Duncan did. We could not mourn from the death of Duncan, knowing that he failed to kill the dragon; we are on our own to fight the Darkspawn. We were still inside Erebor but closer to the exit, fighting off against a handful of Darkspawn that shows they are all scattered across this wide hallway, all charging towards us to stop us from escaping. They were trying to swarm over us, stopping us from going anywhere.

We were in a line while fighting against the Darkspawn, luckily for us the ones outside do not know what is happening and are not coming back to Erebor. We kept fighting against them, not showing our weakness against them but we cannot do this all day long, we need to stop or else we will get tired of fighting so many waves of Darkspawn.

I stabbed through a Darkspawn in front of me then I kicked it back against the one behind it, sending the two collapsing on the ground while I look around. I stop and notice that there is a doorway on the right side of the hallway, seeing that this could be a shot of getting out of the wide area.

"Alistair!" I called to him when turning my head towards him, seeing him stabbing a Darkspawn in the chest then uses his shield to push it back out. "There's a doorway over there!" I said when he looks towards me. I aim my sword towards the doorway, showing him where it is.

Alistair looks back at me then towards Thorin and Kili "This way!" He looks forward and quickly clashes against another Darkspawn, hitting his shield but he ran his sword through the chest of it then kicks it back to the floor.

We all made a run for it towards the doorway, striking down Darkspawn that got too close to us but we kept moving. We ran in a diagonal way as we watch the Darkspawn and watch the door, keeping our guards up when we rush inside that room. I stayed back and allowed them to run through, I defend Kili as he was second to last to go through the door. I notice some Darkspawn with bows were ready to fire, trying to kill us but I block them with my sword before I go running through the doorway.

"Where does this lead to?" Alistair asks when running through the hallway

"I don't know." Thorin said as he was behind him "We'll find out."

Back in the north side of the city of Dale, the team of Bard and Mhairi took care of the Darkspawn on the bridge; they quickly make a run towards the dragon, taking nine men with them and hope that it is enough. Leliana and Nathaniel would notice them leaving, seeing that they are going after the dragon.

"We should go after them." Leliana said when running past Nathaniel as he keeps running but slower

Nathaniel kept moving but when he looks to his left, seeing an ogre lifting up a piece of a building. He pushes Leliana forward to send her collapsing on the floor, causing Nathaniel to stop when looking towards the ogre, taking the hit from that attack. Leliana would look back and saw It on time, seeing the piece of a building, smashing through Nathaniel and crushing him on all of that weight.

"Nathaniel!" She calls to him when getting up, running to the wreckage, getting a slightly look through and seeing Nathaniel lying there with his eyes opened, killed on impact.

Leliana looks back to the ogre as it starts moving towards her with several Darkspawn behind it, since she cannot defeat them all alone, she is force to make a run for it. She leaves Nathaniel there then goes after Bard and the others, knowing that the Darkspawn will either go after her or go somewhere else to fight against the Easterlings and Gondor. Leliana would look back to see if they are still following her, which they were, chasing after her down this small narrow bridge. She looks straight ahead to ignore them for now, seeing Bard and Mhairi made it to the long stairway, clashing against some of the Darkspawn there while the men who are with them stays behind them.

The team kept moving through while the men at the back would notice they have company, seeing Leliana coming over and bringing the Darkspawn to them. Four of the Gondorian soldiers were wielding spears and shields forward, once Leliana was close, the four throw their spears over her head, hitting the ogre in the chest, seeing three of the spears made through. Leliana turns back with her bow ready, armed with two arrows then fired, hitting the face of the ogre and finally sending it falling back, crushing all the grunts behind it.

Leliana sighs relieved "Thank the maker…." She looks back to the Gondorian soldiers "And thank you, men of Gondor."

"Come on!" Bard calls to them, getting them to look back to him as he stood there with his bloodied sword in the air, signalling them to follow "Let's go!" He then looks forward and joins Mhairi on fighting several more Darkspawn up ahead.

"Were right behind you!" Leliana calls back to him, drawing another arrow and watching their back as they press on through the pathway that leads to the top of Ravenhill.

Bard continues moving forward while he keeps striking down one Darkspawn after another, taking more kills than what Mhairi has done, seeing that his vengeance is still flowing through his body, and knowing that he wants to be the one to end this. After he took down the Darkspawn in front of him, he was the first to go running up the stairs quickly, having Mhairi the others to follow. Leliana would be the last as she continues watching their back, seeing some Darkspawn are climbing up here and getting her to start shooting them dead.

The Archdemon has suffered deeply after what Duncan did to it as it rises out of the icy water and goes moving to the north, moving on the main land while the Darkspawn are unable to get to it. The crash causes a serious problem due to the water shattering the ice and causing the icy waterfall to come alive, making the water splash out and break what is left of the ice, sending the water straight down to the bottom. The Darkspawn will be stuck on the ruin buildings, they will watch as their dragon gets on mainland, moving away so it could recover.

Bard and his team made it to the ruins and caught the Darkspawn by surprise, striking down the Darkspawn before they could defend themselves. Bard and the rest of the team scatter over the ruins, striking down the Darkspawn. Bard would keep pressing through and striking down all Darkspawn in his way, soon to stop when he got the sight of the Archdemon in the distance.

"There you are…." Bard said then looks towards Leliana "Come on, let's go!"

"Give the rest of them a minute." Leliana said when drawing an arrow, ready to fire

"That's a minute we do not have." Bard looks forward "It's right there…."

"I know that you want the Archdemon gone." She moves closer to him while checking her surroundings "But we are only humans after all."

"If we don't take out that dragon…"

"I know." She looks out over the water and towards the other ruins, avoiding an arrow that came flying past her. She took aim and fired, taking out one of the Darkspawn archers.

"Come on." Mhairi appeared on higher ground above them, looking out at the Darkspawn and blocking their arrows with her shield. She took two arrows to the shield before she lowers it, looking down at them then looks towards the Archdemon "We got to move up the hill."

Leliana sighs when looking up the hill "Oh I knew I would regret doing this."

Bard looks back out to the men in the ruins "We move up the hill, we move to kill the dragon!"

Bard and everyone made their move over the hill where they will reach at the top, looking out and seeing the Archdemon standing there, letting off a roar and flame upon the sky, asking for help. Bard will make his way down the hill, sliding down there and so will everyone else behind him, reaching to the bottom and getting the dragons attention. The Archdemon will turn towards them when they made it there; it lets off a roar before it ready itself to fight them.

The Archdemon attacks first by letting loose fire towards them, Bard and the others moved out of the way but those who just came down from the hill did not have time to avoid it, the flames killed only four men. Mhairi was still up there and slides down last, making it down there and running towards the dragon while the others move around it to attack it. The dragon will turn around to use its tail to swing it around, knocking down only two men while Bard got close to stab his sword through the leg. Leliana will just move to the side while continue firing while Mhairi backs up Bard, striking the same leg he hit then backs away when the dragon starts moving. The dragon will jump back and starts letting off some fireballs at them, firing four of them and taking out only two soldiers almost Leliana but she moved out of the way, jumping back but collapses on the ground. Mhairi will block the other fireball with her shield, pushing her back but she goes running towards the dragon.

"Keep it up!" Bard said when running to the right side of the dragon, seeing it looking towards him and lets loose another fireball, only to miss when he rolled out of the way. "Keep going!"

One of the soldiers was close enough to swing his sword through the left claw of the dragon, piercing through and causing the dragon to yell in pain. Mhairi will deliver a fatal blow as well, stabbing her sword through the left belly of the dragon, Leliana will also help by firing an arrow towards the face of the dragon, hitting through the top mouth. Bard will stay back and watch the dragons head, seeing it soon lowering its head down thanks to Leliana. He quickly make a run towards it while holding his sword with two hands, he will use one of the soldiers who was crouching down as a lift, spring boarding right up in the air and slicing through the bottom neck, sending the blood spilling down. Bard got out of the way before the blood spills; he will look back and watches as the dragon soon lowers its head right onto the ground, seeing it is close for him to deliver the final blow.

"This ends now." Mhairi said when pulling her sword out of the dragon then runs towards the head of it

"NO!" Bard calls to her, causing her to stop when he aims his hand towards her "This dragon is mine…" He looks back to the dragon then moves his sword in front of his face "This… Is for my family."

Bard charges over to the dragon before it starts lifting its head up, getting him to strike again at the neck to send it back down then raise his sword up in the air with two hands to it, striking down through the head of the Archdemon. The moment he delivered the final blow, a bright light appears when he stabbed the dragon, the bright light that consumed Bard and cause everyone else to look away, unable to see.

The bright light fired into the sky and through the clouds, triggering the Darkspawn to hold position and everyone look up at the sky, towards Ravenhill. The dragon's spirit would do as predicted, go inside Bard as the new host but the host could not survive the power of the Archdemon, this will surely kill Bard. Bard always wanted to go down like this, ending the war against the Darkspawn and there he will leave it all up to us now while he could finally return to his beloved wife and his children, seeing their faces once again before he closes his eyes and falls to the ground.

I got the look of the bright light when we escaped Erebor, making our way back outside through the secret passageway, giving the Darkspawn the slip. We stood on the edge of the cliff when looking towards the light, seeing the Darkspawn begun to flee, leaving the city of Dale and going straight inside he city of Erebor. We were relieved that the dragon was no more; all that is left now is to take back Erebor.


End file.
